QC OlymPICS: Three Golden, But Missed, Opportunities
AussieBum was fortunate enough to interview the only openly gay Olympic male athlete, Australian diver Matthew Mitcham, who upset the Chinese diving gold rush by winning gold this weekend in the men's 10-meter diving competition.
We'll discuss the importance of Mr. Mitcham's gold in just a bit. But first, we wanted to briefly recap two Beijing Olympic "non-scandals" you may have missed:
1) American president, George Bush, got a little bit shit-faced at the Olympics. Any American (and most of the world) knows that Bush doesn't need booze to act like a drunken frat boy, but his red face and the pleasantly disgusted expression of the First Lady suggest he might've had a few too many cups of Chinese wine.
2) Controversy surrounds the Phelps' 8 medals as some call Phelps' 100M Butterfly victory a sham. One particularly irate website, 100thOfASecond.com contends video and photographic footage clearly show that Serbian Milorad Cavic won and that Phelps only touched the wall with one hand instead of the required two. According to the site, so many advertising dollars had already been invested into Phelps winning 8-medals that Omega, Phelps sponsor and official Olympic swimming timekeeper, fixed the times to make Phelps win. The World Swimming Federation has prohibited the release of the Agence France-Presse photos that could shed light on the win.
While it's possible, one should remember that similar disputes have erupted not only in the wrestling and gymnastic events, but at every Olympics. No matter what, Cavic seems fine with his silver finish.
Video and more about Mitcham's historic golden dives after the jump...
A few people also scoff at the idea that Phelps is the "greatest Olympian of all time". Namely, David Wallechinsky, the vice president of the International Society of Olympic Historians. His point is this: It is much easier to win multiple medals in sports like swimming and gymnastics than in track and field, because there are more individual events. And fewer countries produce elite swimmers than runners, making track a more democratic sport. There's also the question if Phelps's accomplishments are greater than Jesse Owens's refutation of Aryan supremacy, by winning four gold medals before the Hitler viewing stand at the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin. Does that victory give him a moral validity that supersedes Phelps' athletic legitimacy?
Which brings us to back to Mitcham's victory...
If you missed it, you can see Mitcham's six gold-winning dives, medal ceremony, and embrace of his mom and boyfriend above.
Mitcham's gold victory as the only openly gay Olympic male athlete certainly breaks new ground and could have given gays some much needed public authority and exposure during these auspicious games. Yet Mitcham stands as a bit of a foil to straight, all-American, media darling, Michael Phelps. Throughout Phelps' races, cameras routinely checked in on the swimmer's mother and sister to gauge their emotional reaction and heighten the suspense. Meanwhile, American cameras ignored Mitcham's mother and partner in the stands and avoided any mention of his sexuality. Maybe it's because the broadcaster had a lot to cover on the last night of the Olympics. Maybe because it's because Mitcham is an Australian and not an American, like most of those who receive more in-depth personal coverage.
Whatever the reason, the notable omission raises a double-standard: we damn the news if they mention what we do in our bedrooms, we damn them if they don't. While the broadcaster could have seized a literally golden opportunity to bring gay athletes (and gays in general) into standard praiseworthy, non-controversial coverage, Mitcham himself has said that he wanted to be known as a diver and not "the gay diver." Quote, "I just want to be known as the Australian diver who did really well at the Olympics. It's everybody else who thinks it's special when homosexuality and elite sport go together."
Mitcham had actually quit the sport in 2006. The 20-year-old Australian battled depression, and partying replaced training in his daily routine until he got back in the pool in 2007 and he regained his athletic focus, coming out and winning gold in 2008. We'll conclude with a wonderful video of the very charming Mitcham talking about his diving victory with his mom and man at hand. The athlete exudes such happiness and warmth that it outstrips any pre-occupation about his sexuality. Turns out he's an exceptionally compassionate and dedicated champion, a true role-model, no matter his sexual bent.
Thanks to AussieBum for the video and OutSports for the great Mitcham coverage.
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Mitcham is just awesome. Not because he is gay, but because he is so openly honest, candid yet humble and to have battled depression and won is just inspiring. I will always remember him as "the diver with a great personality who did extremely well at the Olympics".
you know, it's actually good that they didn't mention his sexuality.
it would've been more of a tokenism if they did, and kudos to him for winning...
at least there weren't people bent out of shape (ok maybe a little, china WAS going for an all diving straight) like for the gymnastics thing.
oh sure there's the whole 'we found a forensic scientist' to do some 'tests'
but asians are known to look young and why would the committee risk such tarnishing actions when the team had hundreds and hundreds of girls auditioning?
they could've easily found older gymnasts if that were the case.
it's mostly making americans look bad because they're the ones so bothered by getting second.
great sportsmanship, guys!
The lad is phenomenal in what he does, he is emotionally balanced and he is no drama queen--three huge and more-than-sufficient reasons to admire him. (I honestly do not mind that he is slightly camp, and I sincerely believe that unless he wants to be known as 'the gay diver'/'the gay Olympic medalist' then his sexuality is irrelevant.)
I would not make an issue--drama--over whatever country's TV networks showing or not showing who in the stands, much less over whether they mentioned or did not mention somebody's sexuality. I, however, find it bewildering that they would be excoriated for not focusing on what the person himself said he does not necessarily want to be part of his identity as an athlete.
If we must link ourselves to this admirable young man 'because we are gay, too' then can we learn from his example--not making our sexuality a cause for drama at every turn.
I agree with everything said on this message board: Matthew Mitcham is a spectacular diver and seems like a genuinely warm, unaffected human being; and it is right of him to say that he does not want his sexuality linked to his victory. After all, bringing the argument to its extreme conclusion, nobody excoriates straights for the way George Bush has made a mess of global affairs. We should all celebrate Matthew's victory in Beijing, while secretly relishing the fact that, yes, he makes our ranks proud.
Oh, and at the risk of reinforcing a stereotype...how hot is it that Matthew got hugged by all the foreign divers? Lovely to see my other crush Alexandre Despatie make a cameo, but that split-second-too-long hug from Colombia's Juan Guillermo Uran--who had not dressed at that point, by the way!--took the cake!