Speedskater Ireen Wüst became the first out-LGBT athlete to win a medal at the controversial Sochi Winter Olympics yesterday, taking gold for the Netherlands in the 3000 metres. It’s the third time Ireen has won an Olympic gold – winning the 1500m in 2010 and the 3000m in 2006.
In 2009 she talked about her female partner, fellow speed skater Sanne van Kerkhof, and a year later about dating a man.
For watchers of bi representation and misrepresentation the story has the added dimension of whether reporters grasp the second half of the LGBT acronym. Yahoo news protested that “The Associated Press recap of Sunday’s event didn’t even mention that Wust is gay” while OutSports.com corrected its report by crossing through the word “lesbian” and adding in “bisexual”.
