There will be at least 28 out LGBTQ+ athletes taking part in the Tokyo Summer Paralympics – more than double the number who competed in Rio.
Although the figure is by no means definitive as there are likely more Paralympians who are not yet out to the public, there are at least a dozen sports and eight countries represented by LGBTQ+ athletes this year.
In Rio’s 2016 Paralympic Games, there were 12 athletes competing – making this figure a new record when it comes to representation.
It comes after a record-setting Tokyo Summer Games, which saw at least 185 LGBTQ+ Olympians compete (triple the number of those at Rio).
In a statement, Lauren Appelbaum of RespectAbility, a nonprofit that works to change how society views people with disabilities, said: “We hope that even more out athletes participate in the future, as it is critical for all disabled people to have positive role models for success.”
The vast majority of the LGBTQ+ Paralympians competing are women, with there being only one man – Team GB dressage rider Sir David Lee Pearson – on the list.
He is a highly decorated para-equestrian who has won gold 11 times at the Paralympics and is a strong contender to win big this year.
Great Britain’s women’s wheelchair basketball team includes four LGBTQ+ athletes – Jude Hamer, Robyn Love, Lucy Robinson and Laurie Williams.
Robinson and Williams got engaged in February 2020 after being together for more than six years.
At least three non-binary or neural athletes will also be taking part: Australian track and field competitors Robyn Lambird and Maz Strong, as well as American rower Laura Goodkind.
The post Tokyo Paralympics will see a record number of LGBTQ+ athletes competing appeared first on GAY TIMES.
Tokyo Paralympics will see a record number of LGBTQ+ athletes competing
There will be at least 28 out LGBTQ+ athletes taking part in the Tokyo Summer Paralympics – more than double the number who competed in Rio.
Although the figure is by no means definitive as there are likely more Paralympians who are not yet out to the public, there are at least a dozen sports and eight countries represented by LGBTQ+ athletes this year.
In Rio’s 2016 Paralympic Games, there were 12 athletes competing – making this figure a new record when it comes to representation.
It comes after a record-setting Tokyo Summer Games, which saw at least 185 LGBTQ+ Olympians compete (triple the number of those at Rio).
In a statement, Lauren Appelbaum of RespectAbility, a nonprofit that works to change how society views people with disabilities, said: “We hope that even more out athletes participate in the future, as it is critical for all disabled people to have positive role models for success.”
The vast majority of the LGBTQ+ Paralympians competing are women, with there being only one man – Team GB dressage rider Sir David Lee Pearson – on the list.
He is a highly decorated para-equestrian who has won gold 11 times at the Paralympics and is a strong contender to win big this year.
Great Britain’s women’s wheelchair basketball team includes four LGBTQ+ athletes – Jude Hamer, Robyn Love, Lucy Robinson and Laurie Williams.
Robinson and Williams got engaged in February 2020 after being together for more than six years.
At least three non-binary or neural athletes will also be taking part: Australian track and field competitors Robyn Lambird and Maz Strong, as well as American rower Laura Goodkind.
The post Tokyo Paralympics will see a record number of LGBTQ+ athletes competing appeared first on GAY TIMES.
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