The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are shaping up to be the most queer-inclusive Winter Games in history, with a record 45 publicly out athletes set to compete, according to Outsports. The figure marks a significant moment for visibility in elite winter sport, reflecting years of gradual progress and the courage of queer athletes.
Canada and the United States lead the way with eight openly LGBTQ+ athletes each, while Finland follows closely with six. The list is notably female-dominated, with 35 women, nine men and one trans athlete represented.
Ice hockey emerges as the standout sport for LGBTQ+ visibility, accounting for 23 of the 45 athletes, more than half of the total. While pop culture-loving fans might dream of fictional rivals-turned-lovers, it is women’s ice hockey that continues to set the standard for representation.
Among the most talked-about names is American figure skater Amber Glenn. The 26-year-old, who came out in 2019, has spoken candidly about how embracing her identity allowed her to stop conforming to others’ expectations. A three-time US champion, Glenn is framing her Olympic debut as a chance to support LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised communities during a challenging political period. She will also make history as the first openly queer woman to compete in Olympic figure skating.
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Sweden’s Elis Lundholm will break new ground as the first trans athlete to compete at the Winter Games. A freestyle mogul skier, Lundholm will compete in the women’s category despite being a trans man. While he has received support from fellow athletes, he has also faced hostility from fans. “You can hear the voices out there,” he told Aftonbladet. “But then I do my thing, and I don’t give a damn.”
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Team USA’s Hilary Knight and Brittany Bowe are among the most high-profile same-sex couples in winter sports. Knight, a multiple-time Olympic medallist and long-time leader of the US women’s ice hockey team, and Bowe, an Olympic speed skater, met during the Beijing 2022 Games. Both will compete again in Milano Cortina.
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Another familiar face is Gus Kenworthy, one of the most recognisable openly gay Winter Olympians. A silver medallist in freestyle skiing at Sochi 2014, Kenworthy has long championed LGBTQ+ visibility in sport and remains an influential figure both on and off the snow.
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While Ireland has no openly queer athletes competing this year’s Winter Olympics, the overall picture is one of progress. As Milano Cortina approaches, the 2026 Winter Olympics promise not just elite sporting, but a powerful celebration of authenticity, representation and pride.
© 2026 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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