The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics featured drag queens in a Last Supper painting, sparking controversy. This scene from the Olympic ceremony sparked outrage among religious groups because of its mockery of religious beliefs. Organizers apologized, saying their intention was to celebrate diversity and inclusion, not to offend. The religious parody at the opening ceremony gave rise to debates about the appropriate balance between artistic expression and respect for religious sensitivities at large-scale public events.
Details of the controversial scene
- Drag Queen Painting: The Last Supper drag queen scene from the opening ceremony featured performers arranged around a table, similar to Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting.
- Artistic intention: Thomas Jolly, the artistic director, explained that the controversial drag queen scene at the Paris Olympics was intended to:
- Celebrating diversity and inclusion
- Paying homage to French gastronomy
- Send a message of love
- Artists involved: Drag artists Piche from Drag Race France and Barbara Butch (representing Jesus) took part in the controversial religious parody of the Olympic ceremony
Reactions and controversies
Religious responses
- Catholic outrage: Catholic leaders around the world, including the French bishops’ conference and Vatican officials, condemned the Last Supper drag queen scene of the opening ceremony.
- Vatican Statement: The Vatican expressed sadness at the “offense” towards Christians and other religious believers in response to the controversy over drag queens at the Paris Olympics
- Formal complaint: At least one Vatican official has filed a formal complaint with the French ambassador to Malta regarding the religious parody of the Olympic ceremony
Other reactions
- Muslim leaders: Denounced the inclusion of gay people and drag queens in the opening ceremony’s Last Supper drag scene, saying it violated human dignity
- turkish president: Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Pope Francis to denounce “perverse propaganda” during the ceremony, referring to the controversy over drag queens at the Paris Olympics
Response from the organizers
- Sweet Apologies: The Paris 2024 Olympic Committee has apologized, saying the opening ceremony’s Last Supper drag queen scene was not intended to disrespect any religious group.
- Artistic explanation: Thomas Jolly claimed that the religious parody of the Olympic ceremony was a celebration of Greek mythology, particularly Dionysus, rather than a mockery of Christianity.
- Timing deviation: There was a 44-minute gap between the controversial scene and Dionysus’ appearance, contradicting organizers’ explanation of the drag queen controversy at the Paris Olympics.
Audience and impact
- Opening Ceremony Audience: The controversial opening ceremony of the Last Supper drag queen scene attracted 23 million viewers in France
- Social media reach: France Télévisions reported more than a billion video views on its social media platforms during the Olympics, including discussions of the religious parody of the Olympic ceremony.
FAQs
What was the controversial scene at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics?
The controversial scene featured drag queens arranged in a tableau reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper.” This opening ceremony of the Last Supper drag queen stage sparked outrage from religious groups and became known as the Paris Olympics drag queen controversy.
Why did the organizers include this scene in the ceremony?
Organizers said the religious parody of the Olympic ceremony was intended to celebrate diversity and inclusion, pay homage to French gastronomy and send a message of love. Artistic director Thomas Jolly later explained that this was to reference Greek mythology, particularly Dionysus, rather than mocking Christianity.
How did religious groups react to this controversial scene?
Catholic leaders around the world, including the French bishops’ conference and Vatican officials, condemned the drag queen scene at the opening ceremony of the Last Supper. The Vatican expressed sadness at this “offense” against Christians and other religious believers. Muslim leaders have also denounced the inclusion of homosexuals and drag queens in the scene.
Have the organizers apologized for the controversy over drag queens at the Paris Olympics?
The Paris 2024 Olympic Committee issued a meek apology, saying the opening ceremony’s Last Supper drag queen scene was not intended to disrespect any religious group. However, they maintained that the scene was meant to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
How many people saw the religious parody of the Olympic ceremony?
The opening ceremony, which included the controversial scene, attracted 23 million viewers in France. Additionally, France Télévisions reported more than 1 billion video views on its social media platforms during the Olympics, likely including discussions about the religious parody of the Olympic ceremony.