Did you know that the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field co-captain was raised by two moms? And that there are at least five queer parent Paralympians also competing in Paris this week? Let’s meet them!
The Paralympics began this week in Paris, and just as in the Olympics a few weeks ago, queer parents are among the competitors, proving that it’s possible to be an out queer person, a parent, and to excel in one’s chosen endeavor. First, though, let’s meet the Paralympic legend raised by two moms.
Wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden of the U.S. is widely considered “the fastest woman in the world.” She will be competing in her seventh Paralympic Games this week and already has 20 Paralympic medals, including eight gold, along with 24 World Major Marathon wins that include four consecutive Grand Slams (first place in Boston, Chicago, NYC and London marathons in the same year), according to her website.
As a child, McFadden was adopted from an orphanage in Russia by a two-woman couple from the U.S. In 2014, she competed in cross-country skiing at the Winter Paralympics in Russia (her only Winter Paralympics), where her birth mother joined them to watch her race. She won silver.
McFadden’s advocacy work led to the 2008 passage of “Tatyana’s Law,” or the Maryland Fitness and Athletics Equity for Students with Disabilities Act, which ensures equal athletic opportunities for students with disabilities. There’s also a great picture book about her.
Two days ago, the U.S. Paralympics Track & Field Team chose McFadden and high jumper Roderick Townsend as their captains for the Games. Here’s her busy competition schedule:
Canadian track cyclist Kate O’Brien won a silver medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games and was part of Canada’s 2016 Olympic cycling team. She and spouse Meghan Grant, a physician and former national track cycling team member, became moms at the end of 2023.
Wheelchair basketball teammates Robyn Love and Laurie Williams, of Great Britain, are also a couple and had a child in April 2023. Love told SkySports last year, “I think we have been a perfect team and under high-pressure situations, so having this little baby, I think we’ve definitely had the experience that helped us handle it.” Both post frequently on Instagram, sharing photos of both family and basketball (and sometimes both at once). Go check them out for all the adorable.
Moran Samuel of Israel won silver in single sculls at the 2020 Games and bronze in 2016. She has also competed in wheelchair basketball at the national level. She and her wife, Limor Samuel Goldberg, who has worked for the Paralympic Committee of Israel, have three children. In a 2022 interview on the European Championships site, Samuel explained, “I’m lucky to be married to a woman, so we can alternate [giving birth]. And she gave birth in 2016 to our first child, and he was born seven months before the Paralympic Games in Rio. One of my most amazing moments in life was having my medal and then bringing him to the podium.”
Samuel competed at the 2017 World Rowing Championships while two months pregnant herself, winning silver, then competed at the 2018 World Rowing Championships for another silver, and observed, “Actually, when I was pregnant it was much easier than doing it again four and a half months after giving birth.”
Badass.
Valentina Petrillo of Italy will become the first transgender woman to compete at the Paralympics when she steps onto the track for the 200- and 400-meter sprints in the T12 class for runners with a visual impairment. ABC News notes, “Petrillo will be cheered on by her ex-wife and 9-year-old son as well as her brother.”
I couldn’t find any family photos on her Instagram feed, so here’s one of her simply looking triumphant:
Did I miss any parents among the many out athletes in the Paris Paralympics (thanks, Outsports!)? That’s entirely likely; not all coverage mentions both a player’s parental status and LGBTQ identity. Please let me know if I’ve missed someone and I’ll keep this post updated.
It’s so inspiring to see queer parents and athletes highlighted for the Paralympics! Recognizing their achievements and stories adds another layer of representation and pride in the community. Are there any particular athletes or stories from the article that stood out to you?
Personally, I always enjoy watching Tatyana McFadden, whose dominance of wheelchair racing is truly impressive.