Queer Athletes Carve Out Space at Olympics

08.02.21
Queer Athletes Carve Out Space at Olympics (Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Queer and trans athletes are winning big at the Tokyo Olympics with more LGBTQ+ athletes competing at this year’s games than in any before.

A record 168 openly gay competitors are in Tokyo this year, which is more than double the 2016 count, according to Outsports. The U.S. has the highest number of queer athletes with 30 competitors, followed by Canada with 16 and Britain with 15. 

Queer athletes have already won six silver medals and three bronze medals as well, per Outsports.

Two openly gay Olympians have already won gold, including British diver Tom Daley, who took home his first-ever gold medal July 26. 

“I hope that any young LGBT person out there can see that no matter how alone you feel right now you are not alone,” Daley said during a press conference.

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