The Gayest Ceremonies
The pomp and glam of the Olympics is seen on full display at the opening ceremony. Through the years, it's these displays that often bring the most queer moments of the games to audiences around the world. Here's a few of the gayest.
Tonga Time (2016)
The Opening Ceremony "outfit" worn by Pita Taufatofua, Tonga's flag bearer at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, landed the Olympian on The Advocate's Best Dressed list despite being made up mostly of body oil. The news Taufatofua also qualified for the Winter Olympics this year inspired out Olympian Adam Rippon to declare "Our god is an awesome god."
Spice is Right (2012)
Feats of superhuman athleticism are nice, but tell us what you really, really want in a closing ceremony? That has to be a Spice Girls reunion, right? That happened at the closing ceremony for the London games in 2012. Yes, even Victoria Beckham.
Gisele Works the Runway (2016)
Wearing a gorgeous silver gown, the Brazilian supermodel owned the opening ceremony at the Rio games in 2016 when she sashayed to "Girl from Ipanema" with a fierceness that would make Miss J Alexander jump.
Lang Belts Hallelujah (2010)
Out singer k.d. lang struck a secret chord at the opening ceremony for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, singing the Leonard Cohen classic in the nation that both artists call home.
“Barcelona” at Barcelona (1992)
Though Freddie Mercury died a year before the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he recorded the "Barcelona" single in 1987 about the city with opera singer Montserrat Caballe. Video of the two performing "Barcelona" at the Placa D'Espagna Barcelona was recorded, generally considered Mercury's last live performance. Caballe performed the song at the opening concert for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona with a pre-recorded track by the late Mercury, who by then had died of AIDS.
t.A.T.u Leaves a Mark (2014)
The pro-lesbian faux-lesbian (but not pro-gay) Russian pop duo performed at the opening ceremony for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi despite Russia's controversial anti-homosexual propaganda laws. Kind of weird since the group's name translates to "this girl loves that girl." The ladies sung "Not Gonna Get Us." And despite the ladies holding hands on stage, Russian authorities didn't.
Dancing Queen Down Under (2000)
Gay icon Kylie Minogue covered Abba's timeless hit when the Olympics closed in Sydney in the year 2000, where Minogue wore the type of pink feather headdress that adorn many a dancing queen to this day.
Gladys on My Mind (1996)
When the Olympics opened up in Atlanta in 1996, soul singer and AIDS activist Gladys Knight provided a Southern welcome with a searing rending of "Georgia On My Mind."
Lea T Makes History (2016)
The transgender supermodel rode a tricycle into history at the opening ceremony for the 2016 games. (Yes, the Rio ceremonies were super queer.) As cyclists represented each nation, Lea T represented the host nation of Brazil, the first time any trans individual held an official role of any sort at an Olympic ceremony.
Banging the Drum (2010)
Canadian singers Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams shared the stage at the opening ceremony for the 2010 games in Vancouver to perform the original composition "Bang the Drum."
Raising Mercury (2012)
British singer Jessie J joined the surviving members of Queen to perform the greatest bit of jock rock ever, "We Will Rock You." Of course, the most memorable moment in fact may have been the video intro, with another posthumous appearance of Olympian proportion by Freddie Mercury.
Read All About It (2012)
Scottish singer Emeli Sande joined a line-up of queer-friendly celebrities at the closing ceremony for the London games in 2012, where the androgynous superstar performed her single "Read All About It (Part III)."
https://youtu.be/G-Du1DJxRjA
Gershwin’s Glory (1984)
The wonder of George Gershwin took center stage at the Opening Ceremony for the 1988 Olympics in Los Angeles, when a 85 grand pianists performed "Rhapsody in Blue." An orchestra immediately followed that up with a medley of American Broadway classics like "Sing, Sing, Sing," "Stepping Our With My Baby" and the theme from Fame.
Passion Lives (2006)
The entire opening ceremony for the 2006 games in Torino read as a celebration of sexual freedom. With the theme "Passion Lives Here," Carla Bruni carried in the Italian flag while donning an Armani crystal gown, capturing the spirit of the games in the most glamorous way possible.
