Paralympics lgbtq
2024 LGBTQ Paris Olympic and Paralympic Guide
GLAAD, in collaboration with Athlete Ally and Pride House France, created the mentor to ensure inclusive, fair and exact coverage of LGBTQ athletes and topics during the 2024 Summer Olympics (July 26-August 11) and Paralympics (August 28-September 8) in Paris, France.
With more than 150 out LGBTQ olympians expected to compete for the gold, this year’s Olympic Games are poised to be a celebration of global unity, athleticism, and cultural diversity on the world’s stage. LGBTQ athletes have likely competed in the Olympics and Paralympics since the very first games in history. Today, more athletes than ever are comfortable being out as their correct, authentic selves and are embraced and supported by fans, fellow competitors, and sponsors.
Approximately 35 openly LGBTQ athletes competed in the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic games in Beijing and a record-setting 222 out athletes competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
GLAAD’s 2024 LGBTQ Paris Olympics and Paralympic Guide includes LGBTQ language, terminology and use-cases relevant to reporting on LGBTQ athletes at this year’s games in Paris as
Meet the Out Queer Team USA Paralympians Competing in Paris
by Kathryn Smith •
After a rare weeks of being locked into the Olympics came to a close, many of us were left feeling empty now that we no longer possess the incredible LGBTQ+ athletes from all across the world gracing our screens with their performances.
We saw Lauren Scruggs prevail the first medal of the games for Team USA, women’s basketball rule once again with their eighth consecutive gold, and women’s rugby sevens accept home the bronze with a breathtaking final aim .
Luckily for us, we only had to remain two weeks before the excitement resumed, because the Paralympics begins tonight with its own array of incredible LGBTQ+ athletes.
What is the Paralympics?
Not to be confused with the Special Olympics, the Paralympics are the series of athletic competitions for physically disabled athletes. While the sports are adapted to meet the varying needs of these athletes (e.g., blind runners have a guide on the track) the intensity of the Paralympics is no less than the Olympic games. For reference, wheelchair rugby is sometimes referred to as “murderball” due to its aggressive nature.
Women’s Wheelchair B Paralympics Australia has partnered with the Australian Pride in Sport program, committing to further develop and enhance LGBTQ inclusion. Paralympics Australia strongly think in equality of opportunity for all, and we are committed to providing a safe, fair and inclusive environment for Australia’s Paralympians, Para-athletes and Para-sports. We work with Pride in Sport to provide a more inclusive, safe and healthy sporting environment for people with diverse sexualities and genders. ACON Health’s Self-acceptance in Sport program is the only sporting inclusion program specifically designed to assist sporting organisations with the inclusion of employees, athletes, coaches, volunteers and spectators with diverse genders and sexualities. Creating a healthier and safer sporting identity for LGBTQ people has never been more important; with actual and perceived social exclusion a head cause of preventable death in Australia. Data from the Out on the Fields study showed that 80% of people have either witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport, with 75% believing that an openly gay person would not be safe As a professional wheelchair basketball player, I’ll never disregard the thrill of competing for Team GB in 2012 and 2016. I’m in Paris this year, as a spectator, to cheer on my teammates and watch my fellow athletes perform at their best. The atmosphere of joy, exhilaration and inclusivity is palpable. Despite this, one thing that still nags at me is the lack of disabled athletes who are, like myself, openly LGBTQ+. While this year’s Summer Olympic games in Paris rightfully featured a document number of openly Homosexual athletes, too many unreal sportspeople, including Paralympians, still feel that they contain to hide an vital part of their identity. As an openly bi player, who came out in 2013, I know the strength and courage it takes to be your true self both on and off the pitch. Having been competing in international wheelchair basketball competitions since 2009, I recall the whirlwind of ‘what ifs’ that zoomed around my head as I decided to come out publicl The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, held from August 28 to September 8, guarantee to be an extraordinary celebration of athleticism and inclusivity. With the official competition beginning on August 29, over 4,400 Paralympians will compete in 549 medal events across 22 sports, place against the stunning backdrops of Paris’s most iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Château de Versailles. We’re profiling these 17 out LGBTQ athletes to watch, competing on the world’s largest athletic stage. This list is not exhaustive–there were at least 36 out LGBTQ Paralympians at the Tokyo 2020 Games–so we can expect more to be revealed in the coming weeks! Alana Maldonado (Brazil – Para Judo) Alana Maldonado is a visually impaired Brazilian judoka who, at just 29-years-old, has already left her mark on the international stage. Her accomplishments in Para Judo include: a silver medal in 70 kg Para Judo at the Rio 2016 Paralympics, a gold medal in the similar event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and two Parapan American Games silver medals. The reigning Paralympic judo champion will seek to defend her title at the Paris 2024 Games on September 6th at 4:42 a.m. ET with the Women Pride in Sport
What is Self-acceptance in Sport?
Why is LGBTQ inclusion important?
Stonewall Sports Champion Jude Hamer speaks out on LGBTQ+ visibility at the Paralympics
2024 has been a tumultuous year for LGBTQ+ people but one undeniably bright spark is this year’s Paralympic Games.