Makayla Gerken-Schofield is adamant that the voices of LGBTQ+ athletes must be heard as she prepares to make her Winter Olympic debut in the women’s moguls competition in Zhangjikou on Thursday.
The 22-year-old came out as pansexual last year, and says she is undaunted by the host nation’s relative intolerance and warnings of “punishment” for speaking out on sensitive issues.
Gerken-Schofield, who is competing alongside her sister Leonie, told PA Media: “We have to be careful and not going to an extreme, but I feel like everyone should be allowed to express themselves. Me being myself should not be not allowed.
“Going to an Olympics gives me even more visibility, and it is important for young people out there, whether athletes or not, to have that person who could inspire them to be able to come out or get out those feelings that are buried inside.
“I’ve already had a few messages and stories from people, and a tear comes to my eye because it is something that touches me – the fact that people have the confidence to come to me and speak out is something that has touched my heart.”
Gus Kenworthy and Bruce Mouat are among the openly gay athletes also representing Great Britain in China, whose official national TV regulator issued an edict in September ordering broadcasters to “resolutely put an end to sissy men and other abnormal aesthetics.”
It raised fears of a crackdown on freedom of speech during the Games, amid a backdrop of allegations of serious human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region, and the jailing of protestors in Hong Kong.
A total of more than 20 openly LGBTQ+ athletes will be competing in Beijing including American figure skater Timothy Leduc, who will become the first non-binary Winter Olympian when they compete with partner Ashley Cain-Gribble this week.
“Ashley and I represent an alternative programme in pairs skating,” said Leduc. “We just like to present a different narrative and hopefully make more space for other stories to be told in skating.”
British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Anson has previously stressed that all members of the 50-strong British team will be fully supported if they choose to speak out.
And Gerken-Schofield, who competed at her first World Championships in Sierra Nevada in 2017, says she has been inspired by the response of fellow athletes following her decision to go public about her sexuality.
“I’ve always felt comfortable within my discipline, and some of the athletes have come up to me and said they proud of me for coming out,” she added.
“I feel like I’m being myself more. I think people who know me realise that I’ve become happier and more open to conversations about this kind of stuff. It has been positive, and that’s why it’s so important to show that you are not afraid of who you really are.”
