Australian diver Matthew Mitcham is the only out gay male in the Olympics this year. (Of the 10708 athletes competing there are nine lesbians and one bi female
who are out as well.) So it's fairly safe to say that Mitcham is a rarity. NBC, however, failed to mention his orientation or his partner who was in the stands cheering him on. Yahoo reports:
NBC has made athletes' significant others a part of the coverage in the past, choosing to spotlight track athlete Sanya Richards’ fiancee, a love triangle between French and Italian swimmers and Kerri Walsh’s wedding ring debacle.
NBC defended their omission, though the arguments they put forth are picked apart quite nicely here. They later issued an apology for their "unintentional omission".
I'm sure the omission wasn't exactly unintentional and so I would have preferred to see NBC simply apologize for it outright rather than making it seem like an oversight. But, hey, at least they apologized. I suppose these things come slowly. Perhaps they could make it up in some way? Or make a half hearted promise not to indule in the same "unintentional" mistakes in the future? Mitcham (who won gold) has taken the whole thing very well, saying simply:
I’m happy with myself and where I am. I’m very happy with who I am and what I’ve done.
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