In Athens in 2004 there are only three out lesbian athletes. Only one is an American. While I am sure there are more than three lesbians competing for medals for their countries, these are the only ones who have publicly come out. The reasons vary. Some say that sexual orientation is not an issue at this level of sport; that coming out will only distract them from their training, or take the focus away from their team. Others stay in the closet out of fear--fear of not being selected for the team, fear of ostracism from their teammates or coaches, or fear of not gaining any corporate sponsorships.
Out Lesbians at the Olympics
The most visible lesbian athlete of our time, Martina Navratilova, will be competing in tennis doubles for the United States with Lisa Raymond. At age 47, Navratilova will be one of the oldest Olympians and for the highly decorated tennis superstar, this will be her first Olympics. Learn more about Martina Navratilova.
Amelie Mauresmo is also a tennis player who came out in 1999. She is currently ranked number 2 in the world and is hoping to bring a gold medal home to France.
German cyclist Judith Arndt caused quite a stir by crossing the finish line and flashing her middle finger to the German Cycling Federation. Although her team won the silver medal, she was upset that her girlfriend Petra Rossner was excluded from the team. Arndt believed they could have won the gold if Petra, a strong sprinter had been competing.
These are the only three out lesbian athletes that I am aware of competing in the Athens Olympics. Certainly there have been athletes like Diana Nyad and Greg Louganis who came out years after her competitive days were over. We can only hope that one day the world will be a safe enough place for all people to be able to be out and open about who they are.
