Two LGBTQ congressional caucus members from California and a gay Bay Area Olympian will be part of the presidential delegations for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The global athletic competition is to begin Friday with a celebration on and along the banks of the River Seine through the center of the French capital.
First lady Jill Biden will lead the American delegation to the opening ceremony. Among those joining her is figure skating Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano, who grew up in the South Bay and has long called San Francisco home.
The three-time Olympian came out as gay in late 2013 when he was named to the U.S. delegation for the 2014 Winter Games held in Sochi, Russia. As he told the Associated Press, he did so after being named to it by then-President Barack Obama due to the Olympic host country's homophobic laws.
"I am excited to share with Jill Biden and the rest of the delegation an event that's been so important in my life. I feel honored to have been selected to represent two different administrations, Obama in Sochi 2014 and now Biden in Paris 2024," stated Boitano in an emailed reply to the Bay Area Reporter.
Also going is University of South Carolina women's basketball team head coach Dawn Staley. The three-time Olympic gold medalist in women's basketball made headlines earlier this year for defending transgender athletes' rights to play on sports teams in accordance with their gender identity. Her team won the NCAA women's basketball championship this year, capping an undefeated season.
Joining Boitano and Staley will be U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-California) and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, whose city will host the Summer Games in 2028. LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games Chairperson Casey Wasserman is also among those making the trip as part of the presidential delegation.
The Golden State's junior U.S. senator, Laphonza Butler, the first lesbian member of California's congressional delegation, was named by President Joe Biden on July 22 to the U.S. delegation for the closing ceremonies taking place in Paris on August 11.
Gay Congressmember Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), whose city will host several aquatic sports competitions during the 2028 Olympic Games, also is part of the closing ceremony delegation. Second gentleman Douglas Emhoff was tapped by Biden to lead it.
"I am honored to join the second gentleman in Paris on behalf of the president as we celebrate the world-class talent of our athletes from the United States," stated Garcia. "During my time as mayor, we fought to bring the Olympics to Long Beach and Los Angeles in 2028. With multiple events in Long Beach, I'm excited to join the delegation to represent our community and to learn ahead of the next Olympics."
Joining them will be gay two-time Olympic gold medalist Briana Scurry. She won those medals playing on the U.S. Women's Soccer team at the 1996 and 2004 Summer Games, and also took home silver at the 2000 Olympics.
According to the LGBTQ sports news site Outsports there are at least 144 LGBTQ athletes competing in this year's Summer Games. There are 28 among the U.S. Olympic Team, including Rugby7s team member Stephanie Rovetti, the director of operations for the University of San Diego basketball team.
Others with ties to California include queer soccer player Tierna Davidson, who played college soccer for Stanford, where she and her team won an NCAA title, and Nico Young, who grew up in the Ventura County city of Camarillo and is the first out gay man in track and field to represent the U.S. at the Olympics. He will compete in the 10,000-meter race.
They will be able to take advantage of the returning Olympic Pride House for LGBTQ athletes and others attending this year's quadrennial Summer Games. It first debuted at the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010, and as the B.A.R. reported online last week, the Paris Pride House is the first one officially backed by the International Olympic Committee.
This year's Pride House opened in mid-June and will be available through September 8, when the 2024 Paralympics in Paris will come to a close. Those competitions begin August 28, and Biden will soon announce the members of the delegations representing the U.S. at the Paralympics opening and closing ceremonies.
Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http://www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook's online companion. This week's column reported on San Francisco supervisors beginning consideration of a gay mayoral transit oversight body nominee.
Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Threads @ https://www.threads.net/@matthewbajko.
Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail [email protected]
Never miss a story! Keep up to date on the latest news, arts, politics, entertainment, and nightlife.
Sign up for the Bay Area Reporter's free weekday email newsletter. You'll receive our newsletters and special offers from our community partners.
Support California's largest LGBTQ newsroom. Your one-time, monthly, or annual contribution advocates for LGBTQ communities. Amplify a trusted voice providing news, information, and cultural coverage to all members of our community, regardless of their ability to pay -- Donate today!