Aug 7
Aussie Athlete Campbell Harrison Goes Viral After Kissing Boyfriend at Olympics
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
When out Aussie Olympian climber Campbell Harrison qualified for the Olympics, he was greeted with many homophobic comments, writes the Star Observer. The comments, adds the Daily Mail, were so vitriolic that the Daily Mail Australia chose not to publish them at the time.
But in Paris this week, Harrison had the last laugh on the trolls.
While Harrison was unable to reach the final of the men's competition in Paris, he took his opportunity to stand up against homophobes by locking lips with his boyfriend, Justin, after the event.
"Harrison finished tied for 19th with a score of 9.4," the Daily Mail recounted. "With only the top eight from each semi-final advancing, it confirmed the Aussie's exit from the event."
"Qualifying was so hard and getting through everything to be here was really tough. It was just not my day," Campbell told the press.
After his finish, he headed to the stands and gave Justin a passionate kiss, just as he had done when he won his place at this year's summer games.
"From what I could see, every other athlete who qualified whose partner was there, kissed their partner on the live stream, so it was very common," Harrison told Outsports at the time of his Olympics qualification.
"I'm glad all the feedback that I've seen has been positive," Harrison added at the time. "But it's interesting how this one really caught people's eye – the same-sex couple."
When it came to the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric trolls hurled at him last year, the Daily Mail adds, Harrison had this to say: "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," Harrison continued. "And that's because we're still not safe here... yet. Pride matters. Representation matters.
"It's homophobes and bigots that should feel unwelcome in sport," Harrison went on to say. "Not me. Not Justin. Not queer people just trying to live our lives without having to lie about and hide who we are."
