The Paris Paralympic Games’ stunning opening ceremony, bathed in red, was bold, beautiful and true to France’s national motto.
Clad in crimson suits, Christine and the Queens performed a powerful remake of Edith Piaf’s “No Regrets” with style and vigor on the Place de la Concorde stage, accompanied by a diverse cast of dancers.
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On a warm, dry summer evening, in stark contrast to the rainy opening of the Olympics a month earlier, the festival celebrated freedom, championed equality in all its forms and appealed to audiences beyond Paris in a spirit of unity.
The Patrouille de France aerial demonstration team, leaving a trail of colourful smoke as they flew past and a taxi covered in Frigues, the official Olympic mascot, was cheered by an estimated 60,000 spectators.
As for the athletes, two members of Outsports’ LGBTQ team, Lucy Shuker of Great Britain and Mar Gunnarsson of Iceland, appeared as flag bearers in the Parade of Nations.
Both men were visibly excited by the occasion and beamed with pride as they led the delegation down the Champs-Élysées and into the temporary stadium.
Earlier this week, wheelchair tennis player Suker, who is competing in her fifth Paralympic Games, highlighted her personal commitment to the cause of LGBTQ rights: Her partner, Amy, will be watching her play at Roland Garros.
“I want the world to be a place where people can love whoever they want and that’s accepted.” Shuker told Press Association Sport..
The 44-year-old added: “If we can make other people feel safe and inspire them to get out there and talk and be their open, authentic selves then that’s a good thing.”
Artistic Director Thomas JollyThe theme of the exhibition, “Paradox: From Discord to Harmony,” was achieved through the visual contrast of two groups of people: one dressed in black suits and sunglasses reminiscent of Agent Smith from “The Matrix,” and the other dressed in red, white and blue, with wheelchairs, gowns, tracksuits and trousers.
The choice of Christine and the Queens as the evening’s headliner was also deliberate: the pansexual, genderqueer singer stood on a grand piano that was moved across the stage by dancers.
The lyrics he was singing were a rejection of the constraints of the past: “All the lovers washed away, all their dramas washed away forever.”
Gunnarsson recently offered a similarly modern perspective on love and sexuality in an exclusive interview with Outsports, where he called on his fellow LGBTQ athletes to give their all in sport.
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“I hope that by taking part in such an international competition as myself in Paris, I can contribute to making the world a better place for everyone,” he explained.
A renowned musician himself, he composed a piece of music especially for the occasion, titled “Spirit in Motion”, which is the motto of the tournament.
This was followed by the lighting of the torch, raising of the flag and taking of the oath, before Christine returned to perform a rousing cover of Patrick Hernandez’s 1970s disco classic “Born to Be Alive,” accompanied by fireworks.
Now, in sports, before competition began on Thursday, at least 38 openly LGBTQ athletes were known to be in attendance, already a record high following the 36 who competed in the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago.
This ties into the current theme of “The Games Wide Open,” and with an increased awareness of the importance of visibility at major events, the achievements of the LGBTQ class of 2024 team deserve to be celebrated more widely than ever before.
Source: Outsports – www.outsports.com
