This year, the Paris Olympics welcomed 195 out LGBTQ athletes competing across 32 different sports, a significant increase from the 186 who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Games. And these athletes did more than just show up–they dominated the field. After 16 days of intense competition, a total of 65 athletes, roughly 33%, won at least one medal. That is nearly double the percentage of out LGBTQ athletes who took home a medal in Tokyo.
Several athletes further distinguished themselves by winning multiple medals. France’s Amandine Buchard proved unstoppable in Judo while Spain’s María Pérez and the United State’s Sha’Carri Richardson dominated the Track & Field events. 21-year-old Lauren Scruggs of the United States added to the tally as she became the first Black American woman to win an individual fencing medal.
If the 195 out LGBTQ athletes were to compete as a unified group, Team LGBTQ, they would have been even more formidable. In total, Team LGBTQ secured 42 Olympic medals: 15 gold, 13 silver, and 14 bronze. It’s worth nothing for our purposes, team medals–such as the women’s basketball gold won by Alyssa Thomas, Breanna Stewart, Brittney Griner, Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi, Jewell Lloyd and Kahleah Copper of Team USA–are counted as one gold medal.
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If Team LGBTQ were a country, they would have finished the Olympics with the seventh-most medals, tying the Netherlands for the total number of gold medals. Also, Team LGBTQ would have outperformed all countries that criminalize LGBTQ people. The teams with out LGBTQ medalists are: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Refugee Olympic Team, Spain, and the USA. Among these, the USA and Brazil stood out, with the USA boasting 19 medalists in total.
The success of LGBTQ athletes at the Paris Olympics is more than just a tally of medals; it’s a powerful statement of visibility, resilience, and the ever-growing presence of LGBTQ athletes on the world stage. As we celebrate these incredible achievements, we are reminded of the importance of representation in sports and the progress still to be made.
For a complete list of Team LGBTQ’s Olympic medalists, head over to our live medal tracker.
To ensure comprehensive and fair coverage of LGBTQ olympians, GLAAD’s 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Guide was created in collaboration with Athlete Ally and Pride House France, and produced by the GLAAD Media Institute, GLAAD’s training, research and consulting division. Learn more at GLAAD.org/Institute and support GLAAD’s work here.