Police are investigating a threatening, homophobic e-mail sent to WNBA power forward Breanna Stewart‘s wife as the New York Liberty compete in the finals.
Police did not identify the person who filed the report, but said a 33-year-old woman made an aggravated harassment report on Oct. 10 after receiving “a threatening email.” Stewart confirmed the threats and that her wife filed the report after practice during an interview Tuesday.
The email in question said the couple, “don’t deserve to live and I hope you both die.”
Stewart, 30, who plays for the New York Liberty, is married to former WNBA player and Spanish National Team athlete Marta Xargay Casademont, 33. They married in July 2021 and share two children together.
The Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the matter as a possible bias incident on the grounds of sexual orientation discrimination. The New York Postwas the first to report on the threat.
“The fact it came to Marta’s email is something she (had to) see. The level of closeness was a little bit different,” she told reporters, according to The Associated Press. “Make sure that myself and Marta are okay, but that our kids are the safest.”
Stewart said she reported the threat to the team and league and Xargay filed a complaint with police. “Being in the Finals and everything like that it makes sense to file something formal,” Stewart said.
The threat came after the Liberty lost in Game 1 of the WNBA finals against the Minnesota Lynx. In that game, Stewart missed a free throw with less than a second left in regulation that would’ve given the Liberty the lead, and later missed on a layup that would have tied the game at the end of overtime.
“Sometimes people are taking things a little bit too far and too out of context. And Marta had gotten homophobic death threats. A few other things have happened,” she said. The two-time MVP said they reported the matter to make sure “we’re doing as much as possible to continue to make sure that our team and the league is aware of the situation and continue to keep everybody safe.”
NBC News has reached out to the New York Liberty and WNBA for comment.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert also spoke on the rising amountof hateful speech players have received on social media in her address before Game 1.
She said the leaguewill meet with the players association, players and teams to address the matterusing technology and prioritizing mental health and reinforcing security.
“First of all there’s no place in sports for this,” Engelbert said. “It just is something where we have to continue to be a voice for this, a voice against it, condemning it, and making sure that we find every opportunity to support our players, who have been dealing with this for much longer than this year.”
The Liberty and Lynx face off again for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
“I’m happy to announce that the NFL is continuing their support by making a $100,000 donation to the Trevor Project,” Nassib said on the NFL Network’s Good Morning Football.“So for those who don’t know, young LGBTQ people are actually four times more likely to harm themselves, and so the Trevor Project provides lifesaving support to these kids, and so this $100,000 is going directly to that organization to continue that work. So huge, huge thank you to the NFL … it’s a really positive step.”
Nassib came out in 2021, becoming the first active NFL player to do so. He was then a defensive end for the Las Vegas Raiders. Over the course of his career, he also played for the Cleveland Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When he came out, he made a $100,000 donation to the Trevor Project, which assists LGBTQ+ youth experiencing suicidal ideation and other crises, and the NFL matched that.
He retired in 2023 and is now focusing on his company, Rayze, a social media app that connects donors and volunteers with nonprofit organizations.
He has called himself a “pretty private person,” but he felt that after having been released by teams many times, he had nothing to lose by coming out. “After all that it was like, who cares if somebody says anything about me being gay? I couldn’t care less,” he told The Advocate this year.
With Rayze, he said in the same interview, “I go to bed every night and I can’t wait to go to work the next day. It’s crazy, going from the NFL, which is fiercely competitive and cutthroat, and now working with nonprofit organizations, who are dedicating their lives to help other people. The passion that they have for their mission is so invigorating.”
In announcing the donation, he released this statement: “When I came out in 2021, it was important to me to let LGBTQ+ young people know that they are not alone. It has been an absolute honor to use my platform to shine a light on the Trevor Project’s lifesaving services. The Trevor Project is near and dear to my heart, so it’s especially meaningful to me that the NFL has renewed their $100K commitment to support the organization’s mission to end suicide among LGBTQ+ young people.”
Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black added, “Since partnering over four years ago, the NFL has been steadfast in their commitment to fostering LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, and we are beyond grateful for their generous donation this National Coming Out Day. When sports leagues like the NFL are vocal about supporting the Trevor Project’s mission, it sends a clear message to LGBTQ+ young people that they are welcomed and accepted in athletic environments.
“The Trevor Project’s research found that 68 percent of LGBTQ+ young people reported that they had never participated in sports, with many citing concerns of discrimination and harassment from peers and coaches, fears of how others would react to their LGBTQ+ identity, and policies preventing them from playing on the team that matches their gender identity. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial for coaches, athletic directors, and teammates to create safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ athletes to thrive openly as their authentic selves, both on and off the field.”
Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, had this to say: “We are thrilled that the Trevor Project will continue to be a partner in our shared commitment to an LGBTQ-inclusive league and world. The Trevor Project’s work in championing LGBTQ youth and mental health is an inspiration, and we are proud to support the positive strides they are making to help communities in need.”I
f you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services. Trans Lifeline, designed for transgender or gender-nonconforming people, can be reached at (877) 565-8860. The lifeline also provides resources to help with other crises, such as domestic violence situations. The Trevor Project Lifeline, for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 24 and younger), can be reached at (866) 488-7386. Users can also access chat services at TheTrevorProject.org/Help or text START to 678678.
A fourth university has forfeited its women’s volleyball match against San José State University following controversy over the gender identity of one of the team’s players.
Utah State University said in a brief statement Tuesday that it would not play its Oct. 23 match against SJSU, joining the University of Wyoming, Boise State University and Southern Utah University, which have all forfeited matches against the California school over the last three weeks.
The San Jose State University Spartans line up for the playing of the national anthem and player introductions for their NCAA Mountain West women’s volleyball game against the Colorado State University Rams in Fort Collins, Colo., on Oct. 3, 2024. Santiago Mejia / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
None of the universities explained their decisions, though the University of Wyoming said the decision was made “after a lengthy discussion.” The universities have not responded to requests for additional comment.
Michelle Smith McDonald, senior director of media relations for SJSU, said the university will not address the gender identity of any student due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a federal student privacy law.
“It is disappointing that our SJSU student athletes, who are in full compliance with NCAA and Mountain West rules and regulations, are being denied opportunities to compete,” McDonald said in an emailed statement on behalf of the university. “We are committed to supporting our student-athletes through these challenges and in their ability to compete in an inclusive, fair, safe and respectful environment.”
The forfeitures began after months of speculation in conservative websites about the gender identity of one of SJSU’s players. In April, the far-right website Reduxx published an interview with an anonymous parent of an SJSU player who said there were “rumors” that one of the other players was a transgender woman.
The teammate in question did not return requests for comment. NBC News is not using her name because she has not made a public statement about her identity or confirmed that she is trans.
On Sept. 23, SJSU player Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen women athletes against the NCAA, which oversees collegiate athletics, arguing that its policy allowing trans women to compete on women’s teams violates Title IX, a federal law protecting students against sex discrimination in federally funded schools and programs. The suit is led by Riley Gaines, a former 12-time NCAA All-American swimmer who competed for the University of Kentucky and objected publicly to the participation of University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, the first trans woman to win an NCAA championship.
In the lawsuit, Slusser says the teammate who was the subject of the media coverage told her she was a trans woman. When Slusser asked the teammate, whom Slusser had roomed with on team trips, why the teammate hadn’t shared this information with her before, the teammate said “there never seemed to be a good time to bring it up,” and that she was afraid Slusser would not be her friend if Slusser knew the truth, according to the suit, which uses “he” pronouns for the teammate. Slusser said she told the teammate she didn’t want her to be bullied but that she questioned whether it was safe or fair for the teammate to play on the women’s team.
Soon after, according to the suit, SJSU officials convened a meeting to address the news article about the teammate’s gender identity, and told members of the volleyball team that they shouldn’t speak about the teammate’s gender with anyone outside of the team. Slusser says that the teammate was stronger than other members of the team and that volleyball hits from the teammate caused more bruising and pain than hits from other players.
The suit says Slusser has experienced “physical and emotional injuries, embarrassment, humiliation, emotional distress, mental anguish and suffering” due to the teammate’s participation on the team and the NCAA’s policy that allows trans women to compete. Slusser did not return a request for additional comment.
The NCAA said in a statement that it “will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports and ensure fair competition for all student-athletes in all NCAA championships.” Michelle Brutlag Hosick, director of external communications for the NCAA, declined to comment further.
Trans rights advocates have noted that the teammate hasn’t confirmed her gender identity, but, if she is trans, it appears the information has been shared and spread without her permission, outing her nationally. Her profile with the team indicates she has played on women’s teams since at least high school and also played at SJSU for two previous seasons without public controversy.
Tony Hoang, the executive director of Equality California, said that in forfeiting matches against SJSU, school administrators are harming all students involved.
“Let’s be clear — this isn’t actually about sports; it is part of a coordinated nationwide attack on the LGBTQ+ community led by extremist right-wing politicians,” Hoang said in a statement Thursday.
The Republican governors of both Utah and Idaho publicly supported decisions by Southern Utah University, Utah State University and Boise State University to cancel their matches against SJSU.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little applauded Boise State for working “within the spirit” of a bill he signed to prohibit trans student athletes from playing on the school sports teams of their gender identities in K-12 schools and colleges, though the law is currently blocked by a lawsuit.
Conservatives have increasingly attempted to restrict trans inclusion in sports, among a variety of other LGBTQ-related issues. Half of states, including Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, prohibit trans student athletes from participating on the school sports teams that align with their gender identities as opposed to their assigned sexes at birth. Idaho’s and Utah’s laws are currently blocked by lawsuits.
Previously, trans athletes’ participation in sports was regulated by state sports associations, school districts and, in college athletics, the NCAA. In January 2022, the NCAA updated its trans athlete policy to adopt a sport-by-sportapproach that allows sports governing bodies to determine their own eligibility criteria. USA Volleyball requires trans women athletes to submit documentation of their testosterone levels to ensure they do not exceed the upper limit of the normal female range.
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey announced Tuesday that their bipartisan legislation had passed the House of Representatives and would be sent to President Joe Biden for his signature.
The bill to honor King, the tennis Hall of Famer and activist, had already passed unanimously in the Senate.
Sherrill, a Democrat, said in a statement that King’s “lifetime of advocacy and hard work changed the landscape for women and girls on the court, in the classroom, and the workplace.”
The bill was introduced last September on the 50th anniversary of King’s victory over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes,” still the most-watched tennis match of all-time. The medal, awarded by Congress for distinguished achievements and contributions to society, has previously been given to athletes including baseball players Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente, and golfers Jack Nicklaus, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer.
King had already been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. Fitzpatrick, a Republican, says she has “broken barriers, led uncharted paths, and inspired countless people to stand proudly with courage and conviction in the fight for what is right.”
Standing in line at a popular gym in West Hollywood waiting to check in for a workout class, the instructor, hunched over and leaning against the desk, looked at me almost painfully and said, “I’m still recovering from the weekend.”
That past weekend was Pride, and he told me about how many “overpriced” $20 vodka sodas he drank while celebrating.
A girl nearby laughingly responded, “Well, you just have to do it—I mean, come on, it’s Pride.”
For about five minutes before our workout began, people all around me recounted their alcohol-infused Pride weekend festivities. It made me think about a session with a client earlier in the day and how he talked about his experience at the festivities, feeling alone and not “part of the community” because he doesn’t drink or party.
Since living in Los Angeles and working closely with my community for more than twenty years, I’ve known far too many LGBTQ+ individuals who struggled with addiction or overdosed on drugs or alcohol. Among them was a young man I worked with who died of an overdose, someone who worked at a bar before the pandemic. Even in sharing his death, everyone I spoke to said, “He was so handsome.” This young man embodied what most people, especially those living in West Hollywood, would consider ideal: external beauty and strength.
But each of us has an inner world more than what appears outside.
I used to think that getting a drink — or drunk — was part of celebrating, well, anything. After working at a popular gay bar in West Hollywood for 11 years, alcohol-infused Pride weekend festivities were the rule rather than the exception.
That’s no longer true for me, and for the past nine years, I’ve found freedom in sobriety.
As we approach National Overdose Awareness Day, it’s essential to be mindful of those who struggle with addiction or who have overdosed. I would venture to say that every person in the LGBTQ+ community has known someone who has struggled with addiction or whose life has been affected by an overdose. Making National Overdose Awareness Day all the more important to shine a light on, especially for members of the LGBTQ community—many of whom seek social connection inside of bars.
Recently, I heard an interview on NPR with the lead singer of a local band. The singer is newly sober and discussed how sobriety influenced his music. What struck me most was when he said that if we’ve ever had the thought that our drinking or drug use might be a problem, chances are it is.
He noted, “It’s your subconscious mind speaking to you and trying to send you a message.”
The subconscious SOS applies to everyone. However, as a gay man who has navigated religious trauma, shame, addiction, and HIV, I often think about the level of self-acceptance among gay men. Currently, the highest level of risk for HIV belongs to gay men between the ages of 17 and 29. What’s more, gay men continue to report higher levels of drug and alcohol addiction than their heterosexual counterparts. Crystal meth, specifically, is a silent epidemic among gay men throughout communities across the United States.
It’s one thing to be out of the closet, but another to fully accept and embrace ourselves wholeheartedly and unconditionally for who we are.
Over the past few months, a common theme among many of my therapy clients is a reactivation of familial homophobic trauma. Many of my new clients are seeking support to help them heal from unprocessed religious trauma that the surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation in the United States has triggered, affecting their mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Recently, a newly sober client told me there was “no room” for him to be gay at home growing up, and it felt like he could never fully breathe. While he’s a 35-year-old adult man, we’re only just beginning to process the shame that he internalized from the adults around him in his childhood about his sexuality.
The experience, I told him, is like having a thousand paper cuts and not realizing how painful they feel until you jump in the ocean.
For that reason, increased rates of gay men turn to drugs and alcohol to anesthetize the pain of growing up and not being fully seen. There is a distinct difference between tolerance and genuine acceptance. I can be openly gay and attend all the Pride festivals I want, but if I don’t accept myself on the inside, my paper cuts still hurt.
Since coming out of the closet nearly twenty years ago, I’ve been privileged to meet people worldwide at various stages of their coming-out process. This has been a reminder of the connectedness of our human condition. It has also reminded me that although the LGBTQ community has made tremendous progress, there is still more for us to do.
With nearly 15 years of anesthetizing my pain with drugs and alcohol and nine years of sobriety, I’ve come to learn from my path that connecting with our spirituality, loving ourselves from the inside out, and taking full responsibility for our lives and choices is where pride lies at the deepest level.
Chris Tompkins is an LGBTQ-affirming therapist who specializes in gay men’s identity and religious trauma. He’s also author of the book, Raising LGBTQ Allies: A Parent’s Guide to Changing the Messages from the Playground. His work has been featured on TEDx, NBC, HuffPost, Psychology Today, Healthline, and more. www.aroadtriptolove.com
A federal judge extended a temporary order Tuesday for a transgender girl to play soccer for her high school team while considering arguments for a longer-term order and a possible trial as the teen and another student challenge a New Hampshire ban.
The families of Parker Tirrell, 15, and Iris Turmelle, 14, filed a lawsuit Aug. 16 seeking to overturn the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act that Republican Gov. Chris Sununu signed into law last month. While Turmelle doesn’t plan to play sports until December, Tirrell successfully sought an emergency order allowing her to start soccer practice on Aug. 19.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya McCafferty found that Tirrell had demonstrated likely success on the merits of the case. She extended that order Tuesday, the day it was expiring, for another two weeks through Sept. 10. McCafferty also listened to arguments on the plaintiffs’ broader motion for a preliminary order blocking the state from enforcing the law while the case proceeds.
McCafferty also raised the possibility of a trial this fall, before winter track season starts for Turmelle, who attends a different school.
Chris Erchull, an attorney at GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders representing the the students, said he would be ready for a trial. Michael DeGrandis, an attorney for the state, said he would need to discuss that with the attorney general’s office.
“As soon as Iris walks into school next week, she’s going to be suffering harm because of the way this law impacts her,” Erchull said in a news conference afterward. “She has no guarantees that she will be able to participate in school sports this year.”
The lawsuit said the law violates constitutional protections and federal laws because the teens are being denied equal educational opportunities and are being discriminated against because they are transgender.
Lawyers for the state said the teens’ lawyers haven’t proven their case and they haven’t shown why alternatives, such as participating in coed teams, couldn’t be an option.
The bill signed by Sununu bans transgender athletes in grades 5 to 12 from teams that align with their gender identity. It require schools to designate all teams as either girls, boys or coed, with eligibility determined based on students’ birth certificates “or other evidence.”
Sununu had said it “ensures fairness and safety in women’s sports by maintaining integrity and competitive balance in athletic competitions.” He said it added the state to nearly half in the nation that adopted similar measures.
The rights of transgender people — and especially young people — have become a major political battleground in recent years as trans visibility has increased. Most Republican-controlled states have banned gender-affirming health care for transgender minors, and several have adopted policies limiting which school bathrooms trans people can use and barring trans girls from some sports competitions.
Last Friday, two New Hampshire teenagers – soccer players who have been living as girls since a young age – have sued the state of New Hampshire for instituting a transgender sports ban. The lawsuit was filed with help from the ACLU.
The lawsuit claims that the ban on trans inclusion in girls’ sports violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX, a 1972 amendment that further guarantees equal treatment in education on the basis of sex.
The lawsuit also reveals that the plaintiffs are aiming to file a restraining order against the defendants alongside their attempt to issue a temporary injunction on the bill to allow the girls to go back to playing sports.
Chris Erchull, senior staff attorney with GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), said in a statement, “Sports are a pillar of education in New Hampshire public schools because of the countless benefits of physical activity in a team environment, including physical and mental health, leadership skills, and social development. New Hampshire cannot justify singling out transgender girls to deny them essential educational benefits available to other students.”
H.B. 1205 was signed into law last month by Gov. Chris Sununu (R). The bill bans any transgender girl from participating on girls’ sports teams throughout high school. It was signed with two other anti-trans bills on the same day. A fourth bill, which would have overturned the state’s anti-discrimination measures for trans people, was vetoed by the governor.
The complaint names the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Education, members of the New Hampshire Board of Education, as well as members of the girls’ high school school board, as defendants in the suit. The plaintiffs are represented by Chris Erchull and Ben Klein at GLAD, Henry Klementowicz and Gilles Bissonnette at the ACLU of New Hampshire, and Louis Lobel, Kevin DeJong, and Elaine Blais at Goodwin.
Henry Klementowicz, Deputy Legal Director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, said in a statement, “H.B. 1205 stigmatizes and discriminates against transgender girls and tells them they aren’t deserving of the same educational opportunities to other girls in public schools. All students do better in school when they have access to resources that improve their mental, emotional, and physical health and [the girls] deserve that same access.”
Valentina Petrillo will get to show her speed at the Paralympic Games in Paris, after more than four years of uncertainty and setbacks.
The Italian Paralympic Committee confirmed her selection to their Paralympic team over the weekend. The selection makes Petrillo the first publicly out transgender athlete in Paralympic history.
Ness Murby came out publicly as trans after the last time they competed at the Paralympics. They did not compete at the Tokyo Paralympics after coming out and is not currently listed to compete in Paris.
“I have been waiting for this day for three years and in these past three years I have done everything possible to earn it,” she told BBC Sport. “The historic value of being the first transgender woman to compete at the Paralympics is an important symbol of inclusion.”
Petrillo, visually impaired since contracting Stargardt disease at age 14, will compete at 200-meter and 400-meter races in the T12 classification, which adjusts for visual impairment.
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Petrillo may lack sight, but she’s had a sharp focus on a vision of being on this grand stage for most of her life. She’s stayed the course and keeping running fast even when the way to the Paralympics looked to be a dead end.
How Valentina Petrillo got to the Paris Paralympics
Prior to transition, Petrillo was an 11-time national champion in the men’s competition. She sought to compete in women’s para athletic events since deciding to come out as trans in 2018 and starting hormone replacement therapy in 2019.
She met International Paralympic Committee and World Para Athletics standards to compete in the female category. But she ran up against friction from FISPES (Italian Federation for Paralympic and Experimental Sport), the national governing body for adaptive sport.
Officials initially refused to allow her to compete in female events. They finally relented prior to their national para athletics championships at the end of the 2020 season.
Petrillo became the first transgender woman to compete and win a national athletics championship in Italy in 2020. (Photo by Marco Mantovani/Getty Images)
The next barrier her way came in 2021 when she was reclassified from T12 to T13 at mid-year, which meant having to meet a faster qualifying standard. Despite setting a 400-meter national record and promising international debut with a 5th-place effort at the 2021 European Para Athletic Championships, Petrillo was left off Italy’s roster for Tokyo.
“The day that I learned I was not going to Tokyo, I happened to find myself on an athletics track,” she stated in an interview with BiDiMedia in 2023. “From that day I immediately started to think about Paris and building what was possible.”
She met the next obstacle in her path in March 2023. Petrillo withdrew from the World Masters Indoor Athletic Championships in Poland due to anti-trans threats and concerns for her safety. A few days later, the ban on transgender women by World Athletics went into effect and worries grew that World Para Athletics would follow suit.
World Para Athletics choose to stay with current IOC standards and guidelines instead, and Petrillo earned a place at that year’s World Para Athletics Championships. She ended up a pair of bronze medals in Paris, including a personal best at 400 meters and huge boost toward to making a return trip for the big show in 2024.
The scrutiny, hopes and a dream from the past
Petrillo is scheduled to make her first appearance on the Paralympic stage on September 2. She will step in the starter blocks for the opening round of the women’s T12 400 meters, where she has the 6th fastest time in the world this year.
The discussion and speculation around a transgender woman with speed and accomplishment is brewing with competition more than two weeks away, as expected. Some say the scrutiny around Petrillo may be worse than the recent Olympic boxing controversy.
Pietro Mennea’s golden sprint at the 1980 Olympics inspires Petrillo’s try for Paralympic gold in 2024. (Left photo by Tony Duffy/Getty Images Right Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
The 200 meters is Petrillo favorite event because of Mennea. The memory of his win 44 years ago has been her inspiration since. “I play that race over and over again,” she remembered in an interview with Outsports in 2020. “It gives me that same feeling of motivation and excitement.”
The memory spurs her bring her best races to the Paralympics, but she also seeks to set an example through her story which write a new chapter in front of the world.
I want to become the symbol of a world that is rebelling. I believe that in the future we need examples like mine,” Petrillo noted in an interview with Fanpage.it in July. “I am convinced that it will lead to something. Just see me in Paris at the Paralympics “
“I’m going to do the most beautiful thing, the one I’ve always dreamed of in life,” she continued. “I’m running with women.”
Team LGBTQ+ (i.e. all of the publicly out lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer athletes) have finished in 7th place in the medal count, with an impressive 42 medals, consisting of 15 gold medals, 13 silver medals and 14 bronze medals. Slay!
In the traditional medal count (gold-silver-bronze) ranking, Team LGBTQ+ would be in 7th place.
That’s ahead of every single country that criminalises being gay, reports OutSports.
Japan was just in front of Team LGBTQ+ with 45 medals, while Italy was close behind with 40 medals, and the USA was way out in front of everyone with 126. Show offs.
For context, last time round, Team LGBTQ+ won a grand total of 32 team and individual medals – 11 gold, 12 silver and nine bronze – placing 10th in the 2021 Tokyo Games.
This year, Team LGBTQ+ smashed that number with their most-ever medals won.
However, that number will no doubt continue to increase over the course of future games as more athletes feel comfortable sharing their identity with the world.
Carl Hester is part of the bronze medal-winning Dressage Team. (Mike Hewitt/Getty)
Bronze Medals
Laura Aarts, Netherlands, Water Polo – Laura Aarts secured a bronze medal in the pool, beating the US.
Amandine Buchard, France, Judo – Amandine Buchard went from silver in Tokyo to gold in Paris in the 52kg category.
Natalya Diehm, Australia, BMX Freestyle – Natalya Diehm won a bronze medal which marked her as Australia’s first ever Women’s BMX Freestyle medal winner at an Olympic Games.
Lauren Doyle, Alev Kelter, Steph Rovetti, Kristi Kirshe, USA, Rugby Sevens – Rugby Sevens’ US team was bolstered by their LGBTQ+ stars and secured a bronze medal.
Beatriz Ferreira, Brazil, Boxing – Beatriz Ferreira won her second Olympic boxing medal after a thrilling match.
Carl Hester, Great Britain, Equestrian – Carl Hester (and his horse, Fame) secured his fourth Olympic medal in Paris with a bronze in Team Dressage.
Gabi Guimaraes, Ana Carolina Da Silva, Rosamaria Montibeller, Roberta, Brazil, Volleyball – The Brazillian women’s indoor volleyball team beat Turkey in the bronze medal match.
Evy Leibfarth, USA, Canoe Slalom – 20-year-old Evy Leibfarth, the first American to compete in three canoe/kayak Olympic disciplines, came away with a bronze.
Cindy Ngamba, Refugee team, Boxing – 25-year-old Cindy Ngamba has won a bronze medal in boxing, becoming the first athlete from the Olympic Refugee Team to win a medal at the Olympics.
Nesthy Petecio, Philippines, Boxing – Nesty Petecio won a bronze medal in boxing and is planning to retire after the Paris Olympics.
Tabea Schendekehl, Germany, Rowing – Tabea Schendekehl competed in the women’s quadruple sculls team event where she won a bronze medal.
Lea Schuller, Sara Doorsoun, Felicitas Rauch, Ann- Katrin Berger, Germany, Soccer – With four out players, Germany’s soccer team beat Spain 1-0.
Rafaela Silva, Brazil, Judo – Rafaela Silva won bronze in mixed-team judo, she won Brazil’s first gold medal at Rio 2016.
Samantha Whitcomb and Amy Atwell, Australia, Basketball – Winning bronze, Australia’s women’s basketball team secured their first Olympic medal since 2012.
Tom Daley wins a silver with his diving partner Noah Williams. (Clive Rose/Getty)
Silver Medals
Olivia Apps, Sophie de Goede, Maddy Grant, Canada, Rugby Sevens – The Canadian team took home the silver medal in women’s rugby sevens.
Perris Benegas, USA, BMX Freestyle – Perris Benegas freestyled her way to a silver medal after knee surgery a few months earlier.
Tom Daley, Great Britain, Diving – Avid knitter and Olympic icon Tom Daleywon a silver medal in the 10-meter platform synchro competition, his fifth Olympic medal, while his husband and sons looked on.
Raz Hershko, Israel, Judo – Raz Hershko won a bronze in Tokyo and secured a silver in Paris in the +78kg Judo category.
Michelle Kroppen, Germany, Archery – After a bronze team medal in Tokyo, Michelle Kroppen earned silver in the mixed team event.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, Denmark, Equestrian – Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour was part of the Danish dressage team who won silver.
Marta, Adriana, Tarciane, Tamires, Luciana, Lorena, Taina, Lauren Leal, Brazil, Soccer – The Brazilian women’s soccer squad had the second most out, LGBTQ+ athletes of any team.
Emma Twigg, New Zealand, Rowing – Emma Twigg won a silver medal in single sculls, dethroned from her previous gold.
Sha’Carri Richardson, USA, Track & Field – Bisexual track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson won a silver medal in the 100-meter sprint.
Lauren Scruggs, USA, Fencing – Lauren Scruggs won silver in an all-American women’s individual final, she also won gold in a team event.
Maria Perez, Spain, Track & Field – Maria Perez proved queer people do walk fast; she got a silver medal in the 20km racewalk.
Marianne Vos, Netherlands, Cycling – From her first Olympics in 2008, Marianne Vos went on to win silver in the 2024 women’s road race.
Haleigh Washington, USA, Volleyball – Bisexual volleyball player Haleigh Washington was part fo the US women’s volleyball team who secured silver, the runners-up to Italy.
Alice Bellandi secures a gold medal for Team Italy. (Alex Gottschalk/Getty)
Gold Medals
Alice Bellandi, Italy, Judo – Alice Bellandi secured Italy a gold in Judo and to celebrate the win she smooched her girlfriend (fellow judo star Jasmine Martin, who competes for South Africa).
Amandine Buchard, France, Judo – Amandine Buchard was part of the mixed-team gold medal for a home crowd in France.
Svenja Brunckhorst, Germany, 3×3 Basketball – Svenja Brunckhorst is a professional basketball player in Germany and France who won gold for the German team.
Tierna Davidson, USA, Soccer – Tierna Davidson is currently the only out player on Team US, after winning a bronze in Tokyo she’ll now be taking home a gold.
Paola Egonu, Italy, Volleyball – With Paola Egonu’s triumphant performance, Italy won its first-ever gold Volleyball medal.
Kellie Harrington, Ireland, Boxing – Kellie Harrington is the first Irish female athlete to win gold medals at consecutive Olympic Games. She is now looking forward to a quiet life with her wife Mandy.
Ana Patricia, Brazil, Beach Volleyball – With her World Championship teammate Eduarda Santos Lisboa, Ana Patricia secured the gold in a thrilling match against Canada.
Maria Perez, Spain, Track and Field – Maria Perez won gold in the marathon walk relay, after earning a silver medal in the individual 20km event.
Sha’Carri Richardson, USA, Track & Field – Sha’Carri Richardson added a gold in the 4×100-meter relay to sit beside her silver medal in the 100-meter sprint.
Lauren Scruggs, USA, Fencing – Lauren Scruggs won a team gold medal, after a silver in individual. Scruggs makes history as the first Black American woman and the first Black, out lesbian to win an individual medal in Olympic fencing.
Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Alyssa Thomas, Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd, Chelsea Gray, Kahleah Copper, USA, Basketball – Over half of the Team USA women’s basketball team, including a couple of coaches and staff, are publicly out. The team narrowly beat France for the gold.
Anne Veenendaal and Marleen Jochems, Netherlands, Field Hockey –
Lara Vadlau, Austria, Sailing – Lara Vadlau and her dingy partner Lukae Maehr won the first Gold medal of this year’s Olympics for Austria.
Frederic Wandres, Germany, Equestrian – Frederic Wandres (and his horse Bluetooth) trotted his way to gold in the German team dressage event.
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, New Zealand, Rugby Sevens – Portia Woodman-Wickliffe won gold, her third Olympic medal for New Zealand. Woodman-Wickliffe is married to fellow Black Fern and World Cup winner Renee Wickliffe.
Let me say up front that no one from GLAAD asked me to write this, and I did not run its content by them or coordinate in any way. These are my independent observations based on my experience as Vice President and Chief Programs Officer under the leadership of Sarah Kate Ellis for five years. I was there for much of what is detailed in the recent New York Times story, and I feel compelled to provide a counterpoint to the imbalanced — and perhaps libelous — story put forward by the Times.
Before I get into the content of the piece, it’s incredibly relevant to point out that the writer of this piece, Emily Steel, signed an open letter last year criticizing GLAAD and more than 100 other organizations and leaders who spoke out against The New York Times’ coverage of transgender people. That alone should have disqualified her from investigating and writing this story. I won’t speculate about her motives or those of her editors, but the fact that she had taken a public position against GLAAD’s work speaks volumes.
Beyond that, the piece is riddled with bad reporting, innuendo, lies, mistruths, facts out of context, and misinformation. I know because I was there — but no one at the New York Times bothered to call any of us (and there are many) who could have instantly debunked this nonsense.
So let’s get into it — facts first.
Sarah Kate Ellis’s salary is not $1 million per year. It’s not even close. It’s easily searchable and publicly available on GLAAD’s IRS 990 forms, which are filed annually. The most recent documents indicate a salary of roughly $575,000 and a bonus of about $27,000 — a lot of money, yes, but a far cry from $1 million and very much in line with the leadership of nonprofit organizations with similar budgets.
Much has been made of GLAAD’s work at Davos, so let me offer some context there as well. The World Economic Forum meets in Davos each year and is composed of leaders from government, business and international organizations, civil society, academia, and media to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Until GLAAD entered the frame in 2017, LGBTQ issues were not on the agenda. Today, they are a centerpiece.
While I did not attend any of GLAAD’s trips to Davos, I was privy to the strategy, logistics, and other details related to those activations. Here’s the truth. Those trips are funded by a donor who specifically designated those funds for that purpose in order to provide GLAAD an opportunity to have a seat at the table with world leaders, Fortune 100 CEOs, and global influencers in order to make progress on criminalization of LGBTQ identities, HIV medication access, and reform in the Catholic Church. You don’t do that with events and meetings at the local Hampton Inn. If you want to have a seat at the table with world leaders, you go where they are.
GLAAD is not a direct services organization — it is an agent of culture change, and culture change is a long and expensive game. When you show up to Davos, Cannes Lions, the Emmys, Sundance, and other places of elite influence, you must show up as their equal in order to earn a place in the conversation and be trusted to co-create the change we are advocating for. And what is the change that has happened, exactly, from GLAAD’s presence in Davos?
A simple Google search will produce a laundry list of impact for the LGBTQ community from GLAAD’s work there, especially critical at a time when DEI and other inclusive programs are under attack in the corporate world. It’s also worth noting that GLAAD’s fingerprints are all over many things that never are acknowledged publicly because to do so would damage the work and the end goal.
Nonetheless, here are just a few headlines tell the tale:
Washington Blade: GLAAD, HRC Presidents Attend World Economic Forum
Associated Press: Pope Approves Same-sex Blessings For Couples
Associated Press: Pope Says Homosexuality Not A Crime
World Economic Forum: What Davos Taught Me About Supporting My Transgender Child Partnership for Global LGBTQIA+ Equality: Davos Promenade Lights Up Rainbow
New York Times: Vatican Says Transgender People Can Be Baptized and Become Godparents Here’s the bottom line.
Sarah Kate Ellis has taken the organization from literal bankruptcy to the stages at Davos, the Emmys, Cannes Lions, the Super Bowl, and countless other places to represent our community and make change. She has made GLAAD a juggernaut with a place at the table at the world’s most influential cultural moments and among the globe’s leading decision makers and culture shapers. That’s why Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023 and why she commands the respect of the team she leads at GLAAD, the board of directors who hired her, and the leaders of the industries in which she is making change every day. On a personal level, she is one of the most honorable, visionary, judicious, and impactful leaders I have ever worked with.
It’s a shame to see the New York Times stoop to petty vindictiveness and shoddy reporting for clicks and revenge. It’s not just an attack on Sarah Kate Ellis — it’s an attack on all of us who have been a part of turning GLAAD around and making it a leading global voice for equality and acceptance. My only demand of GLAAD’s leadership would be to go even bigger, even louder, even harder, and even faster. Stay the course. The world needs you now more than ever.
(Editor’s note: Charlie Stadtlander, a spokesperson for the New York Times, disputes Stokes’s characterization of the open letter. He wrote in an email to the Blade: “The letter was not critical of GLAAD. It was signed by over 80 members of our newsroom opposed to the NewsGuild of New York engaging in or taking sides in public debates over internal editorial decisions at The Times. The letter stated: ‘Our duty is to be independent. We pursue the facts wherever they may lead. We are journalists, not activists. That line should be clear.’”)
Zeke Stokes is former Vice President and Chief Programs Officer at GLAAD and an executive producer of the award-winning documentary ‘TransMilitary.’
