20 out LGBTQ women who won Olympic or Paralympic gold
For Women's History Month, Outsports presents a group of 20 Olympians and Paralympians who all claimed titles while representing Team LGBTQ. The post 20 out LGBTQ women who won Olympic or Paralympic gold appeared first on Outsports.
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This listicle is part of Outsports’ series, “How women have led the way out of the closet in sports.”
Heading into her first Winter Olympics last month, Amber Glenn was unequivocal about the benefits of competing authentically.
“I know that whatever I do on the ice, I’m able to speak about my journey and my process truthfully,” said the Texan figure skater, who came out publicly as pansexual in 2019, at the age of 20.
A few months later, she attributed her high placing at the U.S. Championships to the sense of freedom she felt after coming out. Since then, Glenn has enjoyed great success at home and abroad, returning from Milano Cortina 2026 with a gold medal from the team event.
Related
Amber Glenn wins Olympic gold — and refuses to back down after anti-LGBTQ backlash
Amber Glenn spoke out for the LGBTQ community, and she won’t stay silent after experiencing unnecessary backlash.
Now 26, she is also the first out queer woman to represent the U.S. in Olympic singles figure skating, and joins the ranks of women athletes who have triumphed while representing Team LGBTQ at a Games.
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In support of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating trailblazers who have led the way out of the sports closet.
Glenn is the first in a list of 20 Olympic and Paralympic champions who have set the gold standard — discover more about their stories by following the links…
Gigi Fernandez (USA, tennis)
The doubles specialist from Puerto Rico already had an Olympic gold medal from Barcelona 1992 when she appeared on stage alongside Martina Navratilova at the “March on Washington” for LGBTQ rights the following year. With playing partner Mary Joe Fernandez (no relation), they retained their women’s doubles title at Atlanta 1996, in one of the earliest known triumphs for a publicly out Team LGBTQ athlete at an Olympic Games.
Camilla Andersen (Denmark, handball)
The playmaker and record national goalscorer helped the Danes to consecutive Olympic titles at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. She became a prominent figure for the LGBTQ community in sports when she entered a civil union with Norwegian rival Mia Hundvin in 2000. When Denmark faced Norway in the group stage, Andersen and Hundvin became the first same-sex couple to compete against each other in Olympic history.
Briana Scurry (USA, soccer)
The trailblazing goalkeeper earned two Olympic gold medals with the USWNT, at Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004. As described in her 2022 autobiography and other interviews, Scurry lived authentically as an out gay athlete throughout her playing days, even though mainstream media at the time rarely, if ever, referenced the fact that she was representing Team LGBTQ.
Ireen Wüst (Netherlands, speed skating)
The Dutchwoman is the most decorated speed skater in Olympic history, having secured six gold medals across five consecutive Winter Games from 2006 to 2022. Wüst is also the most decorated Team LGBTQ Olympian, having been out as bisexual since 2009, when she first publicly confirmed her then relationship with teammate Sanne van Kerkhof in an interview.
Seimone Augustus (USA, basketball)
Augustus claimed three consecutive Olympic gold medals with Team USA at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. She came out publicly as a lesbian before the second of those U.S. victories as part of an interview with The Advocate, in which she discussed her engagement and the importance of advocating for marriage equality. She announced her retirement from the WNBA in 2021.
Maartje Paumen (Netherlands, field hockey)
Skippering the Dutch hockey team to two Olympic gold medals, at Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Paumen was open about her sexuality throughout much of her international career. She had publicly confirmed her then relationship with teammate Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel as early as 2009.
Nicola Adams (Great Britain, boxing)
Adams made history as the first female boxer to win an Olympic gold medal, her victory coming at her home Games of London 2012. She successfully defended her title at the 2016 Rio Games. Adams competed as an out bisexual athlete, although post-retirement, she clarified her sexuality in a post on social media in 2020, writing: “I’m lesbian not bi, just saying.”
Megan Rapinoe (USA, soccer)
One of the greatest LGBTQ advocates in sports history, Rapinoe came out publicly as a lesbian in July 2012, just weeks before the London Olympics. She went on to help lead the USWNT to victory in that tournament, scoring twice in the thrilling 4-3 semifinal win over Canada in Manchester. Rapinoe retired in 2023 as a two-time World Cup winner, a year after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Caster Semenya (South Africa, track and field)
Semenya secured back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 800 meters at London 2012 and Rio 2016. Under scrutiny for her entire athletics career, her relationship with long-time partner, Violet Raseboya, was the subject of media speculation even before her first World Championship title in 2009. The couple celebrated a traditional South African marriage ceremony in 2015, and their wedding day in 2017.
Katie-George Dunlevy (Ireland, para-cycling)
With the most medals of any Irish Paralympian, Dunlevy started out as a world title-winning British para-rower before switching sports and nationalities in 2011. The year before, she had come out as a lesbian after “hiding it for years.” She has four golds from the last three editions of the Paralympic Games, and plans to ride on to L.A. 2028.
Brittney Griner (USA, basketball)
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, shortly after being selected as the first overall pick in the WNBA draft, Griner spoke publicly for the first time about being a lesbian. Within a year, she had become the first out gay athlete to have an endorsement deal from Nike. Her run of triple Olympic gold medals with the U.S. national team began at Rio 2016.
Desiree Miller (USA, wheelchair basketball)
An integral part of the U.S. team at the Rio Paralympics, Miller had spoken publicly in the build-up to the Games about having married fellow wheelchair basketball player Mareike Adermann of Germany. The couple would end up facing each other in the gold-medal match, with the Americans taking it 62-45. Miller, who featured in Outsports’ Emmy Award-winning series “Ballin’ Out,” remarried late last year, to wife Katelyn.
Kate and Helen Richardson-Walsh (Great Britain, field hockey)
The Richardson-Walshs are the first same-sex married couple to win Olympic gold on the same team, achieving this historic feat at Rio 2016 — Kate captained the British team, who needed penalties to beat their old rivals, the Netherlands, in a thrilling final. Kate and Helen were known to be a couple within the hockey community for years, but their marriage in 2013 made their relationship a matter of public record, something they have embraced as LGBTQ role models.
Alana Maldonado (Brazil, para judo)
Maldonado went into Tokyo 2020 having been runner-up in the 70kg event at her home Games of Rio 2016. In Japan, she was also representing Team LGBTQ, having gone public about her relationship with fellow judoka, Wedja Santos. This time, she returned home with a gold medal and successfully defended her title at Paris 2024. In between the two Paralympics, Maldonado and Santos got married.
Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela, track and field)
Putting in a world-record performance at Tokyo 2020, triple jumper Rojas made history as the first Venezuelan woman to win Olympic gold. She has been an out and proud lesbian and high-profile advocate for LGBTQ rights throughout her career, notably discussing her sexuality and the importance of visibility in an interview with El País in February 2020.
Lauren Rowles (Great Britain, para rowing)
Rowles is simply the greatest-ever Paralympic rower, having won three consecutive gold medals in mixed double sculls at Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. The first of those was achieved at the age of 18, and after connecting with fellow Paralympian and wheelchair basketball player Jude Hamer on Instagram in 2020, she came out publicly as gay, describing how she had struggled with her identity through her teens. Since then, Rowles has become one of the most prominent advocates at the intersection of LGBTQ representation and disability.
Emma Twigg (New Zealand, rowing)
Twigg had already competed in single sculls at three Olympic Games, just missing the podium at London 2012 and Rio 2016, when she headed to Tokyo hoping to make it fourth time lucky. One thing had changed — she was now part of Team LGBTQ, having married cricketer Charlotte Mizzi in the interim period. “As I’ve grown, I’ve realized the power of my profile,” she explained. Suitably energized, she achieved her goal of winning Olympic gold.
Paola Egonu (Italy, volleyball)
The tournament MVP who led the Italian women’s team to its first-ever Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024, Egonu has overcome prejudice and xenophobia to become one of her country’s most successful athletes. She came out publicly in 2018 during an interview with Corriere della Sera, where she casually mentioned having a girlfriend. Since then, Egonu has described herself as pansexual (saying “I don’t care about gender”) and has also spoken about looking forward to motherhood.
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