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Olympics

15 gayest Summer Olympic sports that have us CHEERING

queer olympians ShaCarri Richardson Gareth Thomas Laurel Hubbard Megan Rapinoe Tom Daley
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images; ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images; Chris Graythen/Getty Images; Naomi Baker/Getty Images; Clive Rose/Getty Images

While the sports world generally still struggles in a lot of ways to be inclusive, we're giving these ones the GOLD!


queer olympians ShaCarri Richardson Gareth Thomas Laurel Hubbard Megan Rapinoe Tom Daley

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images; ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images; Chris Graythen/Getty Images; Naomi Baker/Getty Images; Clive Rose/Getty Images

Let's be real for a second — sports are super homoerotic.

There's just nothing like the world's finest specimen getting physical with athletes of the same gender. Though some competitions are a little more spicy than others.

Seeing as the Olympics always see the world come together over skin-to-skin contact, here are the sports we think are the most relatable to the LGBTQ+ community.

Diving

Tom Daley and Noah Williams of Team Great Britain practice during a diving training session ahead of the Paris Olympic Games

Clive Rose/Getty Images

One word: Speedos.

Gymnastics

Olympic Gymnastics simone biles team USA balance beam practice female gymnasts watch Paris Games 2024

David Ramos/Getty Images

Yeah, gymnasts can flip, but have you ever tried to organize a group brunch with queer people? I don't need Simone Biles flexibility, but I do need a text back, Juniper.

Track and Field

Team USA Gabrielle Thomas Tamari Davis Twanisha Terry and ShaCarri Richardson pose for a photo after they won the womens 4x100m relay final during the World Athletics Championships Budapest

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

Even the great Sha'Carri Richardson has nothing on the average drag queen when there's a sale at Sephora.

Pole vault

pole vaulting during Turkish Athletic Federation Combined Track and Field Competitions

EvrenKalinbacak / Shutterstock

We don't need to explain this one, only to link the video of Anthony Ammirati's giant package taking him down.

Seriously, couldn't the drag artists from the opening ceremony have taught him how to tuck?

Soccer (but only the women)

Bronze medalists Carli Lloyd Megan Rapinoe Kelley OHara with Team United States bronze medals Womens Football Soccer Competition Medal Ceremony

Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Women's soccer is the gayest sport in the Olympics, but men's soccer is the straightest. In the end, it averages out to a healthy bisexual.

Tennis

tennis stars Maria Sharapova legend Billie Jean King coach Olympic gold medal gymnast Aly Raisman during a friendly game of tennis golf

Kelly Kline/Getty Images

I don't know what goes back and forth more in this sport — the actual tennis balls, or the players' attitudes on LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Basketball

USA Basketball Women's National Team Training Camp at Cleveland Clinic Courts

Any lesbian is putty in the hands of a woman over 6-feet tall.

Wrestling

Olympic greco roman style wrestling match

This one goes all the way back to ancient Greece, where the athletes would wrestle naked, as the nude form was associated with heroism and thought to be pleasing to the gods.

What, were you expecting a sex joke? How about you try learning something for once?

Rowing

Olympic rowing team USA celebrates after winning gold medal Final race Mens Rowing event Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images

There's nothing more homoerotic than men working together on a boat. And yes, that also includes the Navy and your dad's regular "fishing trips."

Rugby Sevens

Olympic rugby sevens 7s Mils Muliaina New Zealand stops Welsh Gareth Thomas during a quarterfinal cup match at the XVII Commonwealth games Manchester

ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images

I don't know anything about how rugby works — I got distracted when they started making full body contact.

Weightlifting

Laurel Hubbard of Team New Zealand competes Womens Weightlifting Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

When they're on a world stage, gym LGBTQ+ folks don't need to post their workout routines to Instagram.

Softball

Olympic womans softball team japan wins Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games July 2021

Xue Yubin/Xinhua via Getty Images

I refuse to believe A League of Their Ownisn't the universal women's softball/baseball experience.

Cycling

Philippa York in blue and white posing for selfies with fellow cyclists

Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images

With no contact and minimal interaction maintaining happiness, we're dubbing cycling one for the aroaces.

Beach Volleyball

Olympic gay boyfriends and beach volleyball players Kyle Friend and Timothy Brewster celebrate during the match AVP Gold Series Chicago Open_webready

Quinn Harris/Getty Images

What is beach volleyball if not indoor volleyball's flamboyant cousin who likes to hang out around the apartment shirtless?

Fencing

Olympic fencing team canada vs team USA

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Two opponents battling to poke each other with their poles? No further comment.

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Ryan Adamczeski

Ryan is a staff writer at the Advocate, and a graduate of New York University Tisch's Department of Dramatic Writing, with a focus in television writing and comedy. She first became a published author at the age of 15 with her YA novel 'Someone Else's Stars', and is now a member of GALECA, the LGBTQ+ society of entertainment critics. In her free time, Ryan likes watching New York Rangers hockey, listening to the Beach Boys, and practicing witchcraft.

Ryan is a staff writer at the Advocate, and a graduate of New York University Tisch's Department of Dramatic Writing, with a focus in television writing and comedy. She first became a published author at the age of 15 with her YA novel 'Someone Else's Stars', and is now a member of GALECA, the LGBTQ+ society of entertainment critics. In her free time, Ryan likes watching New York Rangers hockey, listening to the Beach Boys, and practicing witchcraft.