Mixed Race Celebrity Mondays: Greg Louganis

Greg Louganis and Olympic Gold Medals

Gregory Efthimios Louganis was born in San Diego, California, on January 29, 1960, to a Polynesian (from the Kingdom of Samoa) father and a Scandinavian (from the Kingdom of Sweden) mother. His biological parents never married and he was adopted at the age of 15 months by Peter and Frances Louganis. He was their second adopted child, having an older sister. He grew up in San Diego and suffered ridicule from his peers due to his dark complexion (he was frequently called "nigger") and because of an undiagnosed learning disability (dyslexia). His early extracurricula activities, acrobatics, dance and gymnastics soon led to his interests in diving. Diving lessons followed once his innate skills were recognized.

His success in diving soon ended the peer harassment and gained local attention, but not before he got into trouble over drugs, alcohol and an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Two years after his first diving lesson he earned the score of a perfect 10 at the Junior Olympics national competition in Colorado. Other titles soon followed and his training intensified. In 1976,  he received the Silver Medal in diving at the Montreal Summer Olympics. This was the first of a series of Olympic championships.

Greg Louganis at Seoul Olympics

Upon graduation from high school, Greg attended the University of Miami, Florida. While an undergraduate there, he privately acknowledged his homosexuality and moved in with a boyfriend. He continued to work on his diving career excelling on both platform and springboard. Professors at the university identified and diagnosed his dyslexia and arranged for tutoring. His scholastic ability also improved.

In 1979, Louganis won both the springboard and platform events at the Pan American Games. He was set for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow and was devastated when the US decided to boycott them due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He transferred to the University of California, Irvine, so as to train with US Olympic Coach Ron O'Brien. It was at this time that he entered into an abusive relationship with an unscrupulous and unfaithful man. It was during this long-term partnership that he contracted HIV from his boyfriend. He confided his serostatus to his coach who continued to support and encourage him. His training regimen paid off eventually. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Greg Louganis became a darling of the media and gained international fame winning two Gold medals on both platform and springboard events. He also earned his BA in theater from UC. His career thus launched, commercial endorsement contratcts flowed enabling him to support his inreasingly ill and unstable partner and himself.

Louganis Modelling

Remaining closeted and quiet about his sexual orientation, Greg was the adored object of his fans internationally, both female and male. He was often seen posing in suggestive situations, intended for his women admirers, but more likely than not ending up on the walls of gay men everywhere. This was when the gay rumors began, especially after his lover moved in with him and became his "manager." Despite these innuendos, his career continued to grow. He followed his training routine setting his sights on the 1988 Summer Olympics. He stayed focused on his diving goals, even as his personal life began to fall apart. His partner/manager steadily became increasingly secretive, abusive and possessive and almost ruined his future. Once his dishonesty was discovered by Greg, he was practically bankrupt.

Keeping this personal debacle from the press fell into the lap of his trainer and confidante, Ron O'Brien. His coach kept Greg on track and the media at bay. Louganis and his boyfriend eventually separated as the gossip surrounding his sexuality became widespread. It is a credit to the efforts of Coach O'Brien that the sports media maintained a respectable silence concerning his private life once his former lover got sick and finally succumbed to complications due to AIDS.

At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Greg faced his toughest competition of his career. Now taking HIV medications, he feared discovery as he travelled to that Asian country. His accident on the springboard and subsequent bleeding into the pool caused added stress and anxiety. His dedication to the diving sport helped him stay on the path to his goal and he returned to the US with an additional two Gold medals, bringing his total of Olympic awards to five. A record in Olympic history. He retired from Olympic competition in 1989.

In 1993, Louganis exited the closet and acknowledged his HIV status with the publication of his autobiography, Breaking The Surface. This novel made the New York Times Bestseller List and was later made into a movie starring Mario Lopez as Louganis. He publicly discussed his life as an HIV-infected gay man with a live TV interview with Barbara Walters. In 1994, Greg videotaped a message to athletes competing in Gay Games IV in New York City.

In 1998, he testified before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in order to remove Cobb County, Georgia, as an off-site venue for the Atlanta Olympics due to that jurisdictions homophobic policies. The effort was successful and the IOC began to measure a community over its inclusiveness towards all people in determining where to hold subsequent games.

Greg Suggestively Posing

 Today, Greg Louganis resides in California with his pet dogs. He still plays an active role in gay equality and HIV awareness. His courage and dedication to these causes, on top of his Olympic accomplishments, make him an inspirational role model for many young gays, even today. With the recent media attention over bullying and gay teen sucide, his story is now increasingly relevant. He is indeed living proof that "it does get better."

Gregory Efthimios Louganis is one of my all-time favorite gay heroes. Even though he exited his personal closet late in his life, he demonstrates to us all how we, as gay men, regardless of race or ethnicity, should try to live. Proud and honest.