Blade and Pride House LA Forge 2028 Olympics Partnership
The upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is set to feature over 40 openly LGBTQ athletes. Among them, eight American competitors will showcase their talents, including speedskater Conor McDermott-Mostowy and figure skater Amber Glenn. Notably, Ellis Lundholm from Sweden will make history as the first openly transgender athlete competing in a Winter Olympics.
Glenn shared insights into her journey, emphasizing the mental and emotional challenges she faced. “It was always a mental and competence problem,” she stated. This marks her significant transition since publicly coming out.
The Out Athlete Fund supports six participating athletes, funding their training and travel expenses. Beneficiaries include:
- Gus Kenworthy – Freestyle skier
- Brittany Bowe – Speed skater
- Maddy Schaffrick – Snowboarder
- Breezy Johnson – Alpine skier
- Jake Adicoff – Paralympic Nordic skier
Partnership with Pride House LA
In collaboration with Pride House Los Angeles, a watch party for the opening ceremony will be held, emphasizing the importance of acceptance in sports. Haley Caruso, from the Out Athlete Fund, highlighted, “When athletes feel seen and accepted, they’re free to focus on their performance.”
Pride House Events in Milan
Four Italian LGBTQ advocacy groups are organizing Pride House during the Olympics. Located at the MEET Digital Culture Center in Milan, it will host a variety of events and activities. Key highlights include:
- An opening ceremony party featuring Milan’s first LGBTQ chorus, Checcoro.
- A discussion on LGBTQ inclusion in sports, moderated by journalist Simone Alliva.
The event aims to explore the inclusivity of transgender athletes and highlight voices from civil society.
Challenges to Inclusion in Sports
The games occur amidst significant challenges, including the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s ban on trans women from women’s events. This follows an executive order issued last February that sparked debate over the participation of trans athletes.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has attempted to balance inclusion with fairness through its 2021 guidelines. Key provisions include:
- Establishment of fair eligibility criteria for athletes.
- Allowing competition in categories that align with athletes’ self-identified gender.
- Avoiding targeted testing based on gender identity or physical attributes.
As the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics unfolds, it underscores both progress and ongoing discussions surrounding LGBTQ representation in sports. The event serves as a platform for advocacy, culminating in the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
