Paris Olympics opening ceremony featuring drag queens draws backlash

Paris Olympics opening ceremony featuring drag queens draws backlash

An opening ceremony moment at the Paris Olympics made headlines this week with critics saying the display featuring talented drag queens mocked Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper.”

The moment drew major backlash from conservative politicians and public figures across the world who called the display “derision and mockery of Christianity” in a statement to Reuters.

“The idea was to create a big pagan party in link with the God of Mount Olympus — and you will never find in me, or in my work, any desire of mocking anyone,”  said opening ceremony director Thomas Jolly. 

 

 

The scene in question depicts the theme of “festivity” and illustrates that through an arrangement of the Greek God of celebration, Dionysus arrives at the Olympics.

One of the most vocal critics was former "Full House" star Candace Cameron Bure who called the production "completely blasphemous" and "disgusting."

The official Olympics account on X, formerly known as Twitter, also confirmed the intention to connect to Dionysius’s storyline. “The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings,” the post reads.

Drag Race star Nicky Doll was one of the queens featured in the Olympics presentation and spoke out about the recent backlash. 

"It was my absolute honor to perform in front of billions of people around the world, and celebrate our Olympians," Nicky wrote on Instagram. "And remember, to the ones that had their feathers ruffled seeing queerness on their screen: WE AIN’T GOING NOWHERE 💋🩵"

Doll then posted a picture of French king Louis XIV with the caption, “France has always been DRAG. Get over it.”

 

 

 

 

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