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When you think of the Summer Olympics, you probably picture sports like gymnastics and diving and the fashion choices each country makes for the opening ceremony. You probably don't picture the gayest event of the year, but you'd be wrong!
This year, not only are countless queer athletes competing (actually, we did count, and there are 146!), but today's opening ceremony featured LGBTQ+ athletes in key roles, a surprise performance from a queer icon, and drag queens strutting their stuff.
If you've never paid attention to the Olympics before, now is the year to tune in and become a super fan because there are so many out athletes to cheer on!
Drag queens carried the torch
RuPaul's Drag Race star Nicky Doll, who has hosted three seasons of the French version of the show, made herstory at the Paris 2024 opening ceremony when she and fellow drag queens Minima Gesté and Miss Martini passed the famed Olympic torch.
According to Out, Nicky also stunned the audience with a fierce runway performance with Drag Race season 1 winner Paloma, season 3 queen Piche, and Giselle Palmer, star of the ballroom reality show Legendary.
Mother Monster performed
After weeks of speculation, gay icon Lady Gaga surprised fans with a performance during the opening ceremony. Dressed in black and surrounded by dancers with giant pink feather fans, Gaga Renée Jeanmaire's "Mon Truc en Plume" and a piano number.
"I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris Olympics 2024 this year," she wrote on Instagram. "I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organizing committee to sing such a special French song—a song to honor the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre."
Tom Daley waving the Union Jack
Gay Olympic diver and king of the thirst trap Tom Daley had the great honor of carrying the flag for Great Britain during the Opening Ceremony’s Pride of Nations. But Daley isn’t the only one.
Four other LGBTQ+ athletes represented their countries as flag bearers, including boxer Nesthy Petecio (Philippines), sprinter Michelle-Lee Ahye (Trinidad and Tobago), triple jump Olympic champ Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela), and boxer Cindy Ngambam, who is representing the Refugee Olympic team, Out Sports reports.
Wicked stars want to watch Sha'Carri Richardson
Costars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo arrived in Paris for the opening ceremony wearing pink and green, matching their Wicked characters. While Grande told reporters she is excited to see Simon Biles compete (who isn’t?), Erivo said she’s looking forward to rooting for bisexual track star Sha’Carri Richardson.
There are so many queer athletes competing!
Every time the Olympics rolls around, there are more and more LGBTQ+ athletes competing, and this year, that number is in the triple digits! There are now more than 145 queer athletes representing countries from all over the world.
| 07/26/24
