Out Olympic Athletes Thrive in Tokyo
Record number of LGBTQ competitors on the world stage
BY MATT TRACY
Nearly 200 out LGBTQ
athletes combined to
win 32 medals — including
11 gold medals
— throughout the 2020 Summer
Olympic Games in Tokyo, concluding
an impressive Olympic season for the
community on the world stage.
The success of out athletes in
Tokyo was fueled in part by a major
increase in the amount of out
athletes participating in this year’s
summer Olympic games. According
to OutSports, there were a
whopping 182 out athletes this
time around — far outnumbering
the 23 total out athletes in 2012
and 56 in 2016.
The infl ux of queer athletes at
the Tokyo Olympics also translated
into the shattering of historic
barriers. Quinn, a non-binary soccer
player, became the fi rst out
trans athlete to play at the Olympics
— and then they made history
all over again by becoming the
fi rst out trans athlete to win a gold
medal at the Olympics.
Meanwhile, out trans weightlifter
Laurel Hubbard of New Zealand
also participated in the Olympics
— though she was knocked out
early on when she was unable to
register a lift.
LGBTQ athletes came through
in the clutch on both an individual
basis and on their respective teams,
and Americans were well represented.
Team USA’s basketball squad,
which nabbed a gold medal, featured
several out athletes, including
➤ THORSTAD, from p.12
error with his involvement with
NAMBLA, as it deprived the gay
movement of his principled and
progressive leadership at a time it
was sorely needed.”
Wallace was a longtime labor
organizer in California who is
known for, among many achievements,
getting labor unions to
oppose a ballot initiative in that
state that would have banned gay
Out American basketball players Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird pose with their gold medals.
Sue Bird, Chelsea Gray, Brittany
Griner, Breanna Stewart, and
Diana Taurasi. Team USA’s threeon
three basketball team also escaped
Tokyo with a gold medal after
the squad was buoyed by Stefanie
Dolson, another out player.
Outsports tallied several out
Americans who won silver and
bronze medals, as well. Hannah
Roberts won a silver medal in the
BMX freestyle competition, while
Raven Saunders won a silver medal
for the American track and fi eld
team. Saunders subsequently took
an opportunity to pay tribute to
her queer siblings and gestured an
“x” on the medal stand to represent
“the intersection of where all people
and lesbian teachers from public
schools.
Thorstad understood the implications
of engagement with NAMBLA.
“When he got involved in all that
NAMBLA stuff, he withdrew because
he knew that wouldn’t work
in coalition,” Humm said. “He understood
that.”
Thorstad moved back to Minnesota
in 1994 where he bought
a farm in the northern part of the
who are oppressed meet.”
“I want to give a shout out to all
the LGBTQ community,” Saunders
said.
Swimmer Erica Sullivan earned
a silver medal for Team USA in the
1500-meter freestyle, while Ally
Carda, Amanda Chidester, Haylie
McCleney combined to grab the
silver medal for the American softball
team.
Out athletes on Team USA’s soccer
team — featuring Megan Rapinoe,
Tierna Davidson, Adrianna Franch,
Kelley O’Hara — won a bronze medal
after defeating Australia, 4-3.
Quinn was a part of the Canadian
team that won a gold medal in soccer,
marking the nation’s fi rst gold
state. He enjoyed gardening. He
continued writing and communicating
with friends and colleagues.
He also continued learning new
languages and could speak a half
dozen fl uently.
“He was interested in so many
things and he was well educated,”
Willkie said. “He didn’t let people
go. He stayed in touch with people
and that was a very endearing
thing about David.”
Thorstad also grew increasingly
SPORTS
JAMES LANG-USA TODAY SPORTS
medal in women’s soccer.
Out diving star Tom Daley captured
multiple medals, including a
gold medal in synchronized 10-meter
event, despite facing homophobia
from Russian state TV.
An out boxer from the Philippines,
Nesthy Petecio, received a
silver medal in Women’s Featherweight
Boxing and dedicated her
success to the LGBTQ community
as well as her team. “This win is
for the LGBTQ community,” Petecio
said. “Let’s go, fi ght!”
In less than six months, the
2022 Winter Olympics will get underway
in Beijing, where events
will take place from February 4 to
February 22.
bitter about the state of the LGBTQ
and left movements. He opposed
the pursuit of same-sex marriage
and objected to the inclusion of
transgender people in the movement.
But he remained true to his
original principles.
“David possessed a towering intellect
and was totally principled,
uncompromising, charismatic and
fearless,” Ault wrote. “He was also
highly controversial and could be
cantankerous.”
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