South African archer comes out at Olympics
South African archer Karen Hultzer has confirmed for the first time she is a lesbian at the London Olympics.
Ms Hultzer’s public statement takes the number of out gay Olympians to 22, out of over 12,000.
OutSports.com reports that while Ms Hultzer, 46, has not publicly spoken about her sexuality before, her partner had told South African media she was happy to be identified as gay.
Following this, she gave Outsports her first public statement about her sexual orientation yesterday.
She said: “I am an archer, middle aged and a lesbian. I am also cranky before my first cup of coffee. None of these aspects define who I am, they are simply part of me.
“I am fortunate that my sexual identity is not an issue, and I don’t suffer the level of discrimination and violence that black lesbians in South Africa do.
“I look forward to the day when this is a non-issue and as relevant as my eye color or favorite sushi.”
After volleyball player Leigh-Ann Naidoo’s confirmation that she was gay in 2004, Ms Hultzer is the second-ever South African Summer Olympian, and first archer, to come out.
Hultzer was eliminated from the women’s archery by Italian Pia Lionetti yesterday.
