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“History shows that everything that society is, has been dictated from the straight, white, male experience. If we could come together and use different points of view, the world would be a better place…There are 10 countries that are competing at these Olympic Games where being LGBT is punishable by death. I feel extremely lucky to be representing Team GB, to be able to stand on the diving board as myself with a husband and a son and not worry about any ramifications. But I know that I’m very fortunate to have that and that there are lots of people who grow up around the world with less fortunate situations. I just hope that seeing out sportspeople in all these different sports is going to help people feel less alone, feel like they are valued and can achieve something.”—Olympic Gold Medalist and knitting enthusiast Tom Daley, countering homophobic criticism from Russian journalists. Several Russian programs had labeled Daley and transgender weight lifter Laurel Hubbard “dirt” and “psychopaths” for competing as openly LGBTQ people.
barkomatic
The Russian broadcasters can spew hate all they want. The fact that LGBTQ people are competing and winning alone discredits everything they say.
ptb2016
Wonder how many competitors in the Russian team were LGBT but deep n the closet out of fear? A lot I bet.
Chrisk
Reminds me of Jesse Owens competing in the Olympics and the Nazi regime attitude about blacks and out course Jews. Some things just never change.
hansniemeijer
Let’s talk about Russian politics, Putin is real dirt.
Essie
I love that quote from Tom Daley. Didn’t know I could love him any more than I already do. He’s amazing, happy and proud. He doesn’t need a bunch of disgusting Russians to make him feel loved. Those broadcasters should take a good look, a REALLY good look, at their leader, Mr. Putin before they unload on others.
greekboy
Who cares what Russia thinks. It’s a third rate country. It has no world relevance. All they’ve got is Boris on a horse bouncing his boobs. He and Kim Ding Dong should get together and watch their people die of starvation and disease.
The big sky
I think all the LGBT folk that live in Russia care. Also you do know Boris is the right wing sharn destroying Britain and it is Putin that is the dictator of Russia. They also have one of the largest armies in the world and as many nuclear weapons as USA. Their are quite a few countries around the world that were relatively save for LGBT folk but are now turning against them.
BoomerMyles
Russia places BEHIND Italy in nominal GDP.
If they didn’t have nuclear weapons they’d be delegated to the status of a 3rd world country.
Kangol2
Russia interfered in the 2016 and 2020 US elections; may have played a role in ensuring Brexit passed; has meddled in the elections of countries all across Europe; has one of the largest nuclear arsenals in the world; is actively involved in conflicts all over the globe, including in Syria, Ukraine, etc.; and has one of the most powerful militaries on earth, despite its fading economic status. Russia may have a smaller GDP than Italy, but its actions around the globe are far beyond anything Italy or any other EU country could or would dare attempt. The other thing to keep in mind is that for four straight years, Russia had the wealthiest and most powerful country on earth, the USA, essentially carrying out its foreign policy aims.
Americans really need to ask ourselves why so many of the major geopolitical moves of the Don the Con administration seemed to actively benefit Russia more than any other country, including the US, and why under Don the Con the US failed to respond again and again to most of them, from widescale hacking of the US government to the bounties on US soldiers in Syria. Will Don the Con ever be held accountable?
inbama
Damn! Could he be any more perfect?
nitejonboy
Let’s talk about the Russians being banned from competing, and then cheating their way around that by creating another fake team to compete under, which should never have been allowed in the first place! Shame on the I.O.C., what was the point of even banning them if you’re still going to let them in!!!!?? Idiots!! I didn’t watch this year because of all the stupidity of the I.O.C. and how it should never have been held during a pandemic. But congrats to Daley.
Cam
Putin has to feed LGBTQ hate to Russians so they don’t notice that the single U.S. state of California has a better economy than the entire country of Russia.
Chrisk
That and he’s probably the richest POS in the world. All due to mafia type control of the country. Anyone sane should ask why a government official can afford to build billion dollar mansions for themselves.
witwoud
Of course, the Russian newscasters’ homophobic vitriol is unacceptable. But with that being said, we must always remember those views are not held by everyone in Russia. There has always been kind, caring, and loving people there. Our Russian LGBTQIA+ tribe, and their allies need our support now more than ever.
Heywood Jablowme
Peter the Great was wildly bisexual, had a lot of sex with young soldiers. Guess they’ll have to remove that Bronze Horseman statue of him in St. Petersburg – even Lenin & Stalin never did that.
TheRedLine
I feel the same way about Russia. Dirt. I love Tom Daley and have been following him for a few years. He is amazing and talented and personable. Those Russian journalists that said those things are only speaking only of what they know of themselves in my opinion.
Sqwoah
I’ve never liked this guy. He always seemed like a media whore.
aka_Buzz
I relish the contrast of reading about Tom building … and living … his best life while you rot in the stew of your own filth.
charette8596
But he speaks highly of you!
wikidBSTN
Classy AND cute!
mikeTigg
The Russians who are corrupt beyond belief and cheat at everything they do have the gall to call anyone “Dirt???”. Even banned from the Olympics for doping they slimed their way back in.
They themselves are synonymous with excretia and vomit and deserve to be ostracized from the civilized world.
Fahd
Good for him for using his reply as an opportunity to draw attention to the growing number of gay people who live “under less fortunate circumstances”. There should be more long-term outreach on top of the short-term outrage.
JRamonMc
At least 182 out athletes from about 30 countries attended the Tokyo Games, more than three times the number who competed in the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, according to the LGBTQ sports site Outsports. 55 of those athlete’s won medals. I’d say it’s time for some of these backass countries join the party.
Gay Thomas
It kills the dirty trash dirtbag Russians that proud gay man Tom Daley doesn’t need to cheat to win. Nothing gets in their crawl more than losing to a gay man.
MynameisSid
Tom is just the cutest pocket gay ever. And following his knit Twitter, he’s just maybe the cutest human ever.
Cozmo2
It’s ok I like dirty, I am dirty it’s all good.
Tombear
Russia is an old shitty country with horrible vodka. Russian vodka sucks just like Russia.
ally101
I love how Russia is trying to paint itself as the “moral” one when their whole country was literally banned from the Olympics because they were juicing their athletes up with steroids.