Aussie Olympian Silences Homophobic Haters With Passionate Kiss After Defeat
Australian climber Campbell Harrison kissed his boyfriend Justin after failing to qualify for the men’s boulder and lead final at the Paris Olympics, as reported by PinkNews.
Despite a challenging competition, Harrison remained focused on the bigger picture. “Qualifying was so hard and getting through everything to be here was really tough. It was just not my day,” he said. “This morning, when I woke up, I was kind of emotional. I thought, ‘Oh, I guess I’m an Olympian now’. So that’s kind of wild. At the end of the day, that was the big goal.”
“Pride matters. Representation matters.”
The kiss carried extra significance, as Harrison has faced intense homophobic abuse online since qualifying for the Olympics in November. When the official Olympics social media accounts shared a photo of Harrison and Justin kissing, it was met with vile comments, prompting a statement from the Olympics Instagram account urging positivity.
Harrison thanked fans for their support and spoke out about the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ athletes. “We often tell ourselves that society as a whole is becoming more progressive, or that things are ‘getting better’. But the reality is… there’s a reason why you see so few out, queer athletes in sport. And that’s because we’re still not safe here… yet.”
“It’s homophobes and bigots that should feel unwelcome in sport.”
He added, “It’s homophobes and bigots that should feel unwelcome in sport. Not me. Not Justin. Not queer people just trying to live our lives without having to lie about and hide who we are.”
Through his unapologetic display of affection and his powerful words, Harrison continues to challenge stereotypes and fight for acceptance in the world of sports.
