Rio Olympic LGBT Athletes Say Crowds Are Chanting Homophobic Slurs At Them

A record 43 LGBT athletes are competing in the Rio Olympics games this summer, but some of those Olympians have already become the targets of homophobic slurs from the crowds, reports the LA Times.

The homophobic insults were heard coming from the stands of Estadio Mineirao on Wednesday when women’s soccer players took the field.

The L.A. Times reported that people in the stands hurled the anti-gay term, “bicha” -a Portuguese word similar to ‘faggot’ at women on the field.

Think Progress adds: Until Wednesday, the word has always been reserved for men’s games, local journalists reported, but fans shouted it during the U.S.-New Zealand match as well as the Canada-Australia game.

At least six people on the field that day identified as lesbian, including midfielder Megan Rapinoe and head coach Jill Ellis on the USWNT. Stephanie Labbé, Canada’s out goalkeeper, was also targeted.

more...