The 2024 Paris Olympics: A Celebration of Diversity and a Target for Hate
The 2024 Paris Olympics, a global spectacle showcasing athletic prowess and international unity, was also a lightning rod for controversy, exposing the dark underbelly of online hate and the enduring power of prejudice.
The Opening Ceremony, a vibrant celebration of French history and culture, featured a captivating performance by French drag artists, including Nicky Doll, a star of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and "Drag Race France." The performance, which included a powerful blend of waacking and voguing, both dance styles with deep roots in queer culture, captivated the global audience of billions. Doll described the atmosphere in the dressing room as one of pride and accomplishment: “We were all so proud that in 2024, we were given the platform to be.”
This sense of celebration, however, was quickly eclipsed by a wave of online hate, fueled by right-wing commentators and religious groups. The controversy focused on a scene where Doll and other drag artists posed in a formation resembling Leonardo da Vinci’s "Last Supper," a highly significant piece in Christian iconography. While organizers denied the scene was intended as a parody, the image ignited a firestorm of criticism, with French Catholic bishops denouncing the ceremony as a "derision and mockery of Christianity." Even former President Donald Trump labeled the show "a disgrace."
The backlash quickly escalated into a torrent of online abuse targeted at the performers. Doll and her fellow drag artists were inundated with hateful messages, including death threats, physical threats, and personal attacks. The online mob’s fury was so intense that even a special police unit dedicated to fighting hate crimes was called in to investigate the threats against lesbian activist DJ Barbara Butch.
Doll spoke of the impact of this abuse: "As queer people, we are used to being criticized on social media,” she explained, “But when we saw they were using religion … in order to attack us, this felt like a low blow that we didn’t see coming.”
The vitriol unleashed against the drag artists highlighted the pervasive presence of online hate and the ease with which it can be directed at marginalized communities. While anonymous trolls contributed to the chorus of abuse, the campaign also drew fuel from prominent figures like Laurence Fox, a British actor-turned-right-wing commentator, notorious for his homophobic and misogynistic comments.
Fox, in a video posted on X (formerly Twitter), labelled the performers "little pedos," a blatant fabrication aimed at further inflaming the controversy. While the platform tagged the post with a fact-check label, the post remains visible, allowing Fox to perpetuate his baseless accusations.
Doll’s response to this relentless onslaught has been one of defiance. She filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox, citing his deliberate use of inflammatory language to spread hate and incite violence: "I want to sue him personally, because I want him to understand that he cannot continue to use us for his personal agenda and his words matter," Doll declared. “The message that he sends to his fan base matters. He’s an enabler for hate and homophobia and transphobia."
The backlash against the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony serves as a powerful reminder of the challenges facing LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies. The incident exposed the vulnerability of these communities to online hate, revealing the fragility of online spaces and the deep-seated prejudices that still plague society.
The controversy also raises concerns about the responsibility of social media platforms in curbing the spread of misinformation and hate speech. While X, like other social media giants, has taken steps to flag false claims and limit the reach of harmful content, the ease with which users can spread misinformation and engage in targeted harassment remains a significant concern.
The 2024 Paris Olympics, a celebration of athletic excellence, diversity, and international camaraderie, was inadvertently transformed into a platform for prejudice and online hate. While the games may have drawn to a close, the struggle against online hate and the fight for LGBTQ+ equality continues. The future of these communities in a world increasingly defined by online spaces rests on the ability of society to confront prejudice, confront misinformation, and hold individuals and platforms accountable for the harm they perpetrate. It is incumbent on all of us to advocate for a safer, more inclusive online environment where everyone can participate freely and without fear of harassment or hate.
