A petition from passionate fans of Olympian and gay icon Greg Louganis has finally gotten him his own Wheaties box.
After watching the Emmy-nominated HBO documentary Back on Board: Greg Louganis, fan Julie Sondgerath started a change.org petition to get him a Wheaties box. Nearly 45,000 signatures later, General Mills took notice, and The New York Times got all the details:
The image of Louganis, 56, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, will begin appearing on Wheaties boxes next month; the hurdler Edwin Moses and the swimmer Janet Evans, two other previously overlooked Olympic champions, will appear on boxes separately, too. General Mills, the maker of Wheaties, planned to unveil the boxes Tuesday, calling it the legends series.
The boxes will be in stores from May through at least the summer. All three athletes will be paid to let Wheaties use their names and images.
Though Louganis said homophobia probably kept him off the box after the ’84 and ’88 Olympics, he told the Times he’s got a lot of love for General Mills and their support of LGBT people:
“The times have changed so drastically and so fast. This means so much more than it would have back then. Getting it now means people will see me as a whole person — a flawed person who is gay, H.I.V.-positive, with all the other things I’ve been through.”
We’re happy to see a true legend finally getting his due. For more on Greg’s story, Back on Board: Greg Louganis is available on HBO Now. Watch the trailer below.
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DCguy
The guy won multiple gold medals and was one of the most famous Olympians but they didn’t put him on the box at the time.
Panda777
Righting this wrong makes my day so much better! Congrats Greg on a career that inspired and continues to move. You’ve earned that Weaties box over just like everyone one else. Enjoy.
Desert Boy
Most excellent news for Greg!
canadianflipper
Congratulations, Greg! This is long overdue.
jimontp
Only 28, or really 32 years too late, and it was due to homophobia, cause “everyone,” knew he was gay. Congratulations Greg. You’ve had one hell of a life, from the really low parts to the admiration now. You’re a great inspiration, and what the hell, I may even buy of box of Wheaties, for the first time ever.
Tackle
@Stached1: I guess you haven’t heard. But Greg is happily married, and has been in a committed “monogamous” relationship with his partner of three yrs, Johnny Chaillot…
n900mixalot
Couldn’t have been that he’s an arrogant prick that it’s taken so long … Or maybe it could?
Stached1
@Tackle: So they claim, I would not be surprised if they are cheating on each other.
o.codone
@n900mixalot: and he allowed his coach and his manager do first aide on him, exposing them to a LOT of infected blood, and he knew he was positive. Only a piece of sh it would do that. They both had families and kids but that didn’t matter to Louganis because it’s all about him, all the time. What slime this guy is. Stick those wheeties up his selfish ass.