LGBTQ+ athletes fly pride flag high at Tokyo Olympics

The Tokyo Summer Olympics is making history in more ways than one, with this edition of the games representing the most number of ‘out’ LGBTQ+ athletes, just over 160 athletes to be precise.

CAPE TOWN, July 27 (ANA) – The Tokyo Summer Olympics is making history in more ways than one, with this edition of the games representing the most number of ‘out’ LGBTQ+ athletes, just over 160 athletes to be precise.

According to international reports on Tuesday, this is triple the number of ‘out’ athletes than the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics in 2016.

Out Sports.com attributes the large increase in the number of out athletes reflects the growing acceptance of LGBTQ+ people in sports and society.

The sports news website which focuses on LGBTQ+ issues says it counted 23 publicly out Olympians in 2012 and 56 in 2016 at Rio Summer Games, according to the report.

Apart from the global showpiece taking place during a global health crisis, the overwhelming promotion of gender inclusivity makes it more special, writes the website Times Now News.com.

New Zealand makie history this year, with Laurel Hubbard becoming the first ever out trans athlete to compete in a solo event at the Olympic Games, according to Gay Times.co.uk.

Furthermore, according to the report by Gay Times.co.uk, the list of LGBTQ+ athletes is not exclusive, with the news outlet adding that there are likely LGBTQ+ athletes that have chosen not to publicly disclose their identity out of preference, safety, or personal choice.

American news magazine and news website Time.com reports that Australian professional skateboarder Poppy Starr Olsen has said she hopes that the record number of LGBTQ+ athletes competing in this year’s Games can help act as role models for younger LGBTQ people, writes Time.com.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Naomi Mackay