Olympics approaching, mixed feelings
Feb. 2nd, 2026 11:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unicorndukeI'm divided on whether to watch or not. Normally I love watching, I put on all sorts of sports I would never watch normally and enjoy the hell out of it. I don't root for USA, I think the national fever over it is pretty gross and weird (I have a lot of feelings on being at the Hockey World's for the gold medal game in the US and they are not good feelings, something something gross nationalism, not sure I can really articulate it), but I enjoy watching people be really good at what they do. I also usually watch the Paralympics because again, people being good at what they do.
This year, it feels not great. Supporting the whole thing even as I know the huge costs to the locations and people and the constant failures of the committees to get things done on time (is the ice rink even ready for the women's tournament happening in three days?) has been on my mind the last few games. The fascism machine we've got going on right now makes me wonder if I can stand to listen to the commentators who I typically hate listening to due to the gross nationalism.
Something in there also about the politics of who goes to the olympics, the current actions of many sporting associations to ban transwomen from competing (USA hockey just banned all trans people from playing in any gendered leagues, even from beer leagues, fuck those bastards), the issues with money, the issues that lots of countries face for their athletes trying to get to the olympics.
I usually buy a peacock subscription for the month, so I can watch the full streams which generally don't have the worst commentary or the replays if I miss things. I will watch the women's hockey tournament even if through perhaps not fully legal means (hmu if you want that link), but I dunno.
I can't really articulate a lot of it, I'm sure someone out there has said it better. Doesn't feel good, feels really weird.
This year, it feels not great. Supporting the whole thing even as I know the huge costs to the locations and people and the constant failures of the committees to get things done on time (is the ice rink even ready for the women's tournament happening in three days?) has been on my mind the last few games. The fascism machine we've got going on right now makes me wonder if I can stand to listen to the commentators who I typically hate listening to due to the gross nationalism.
Something in there also about the politics of who goes to the olympics, the current actions of many sporting associations to ban transwomen from competing (USA hockey just banned all trans people from playing in any gendered leagues, even from beer leagues, fuck those bastards), the issues with money, the issues that lots of countries face for their athletes trying to get to the olympics.
I usually buy a peacock subscription for the month, so I can watch the full streams which generally don't have the worst commentary or the replays if I miss things. I will watch the women's hockey tournament even if through perhaps not fully legal means (hmu if you want that link), but I dunno.
I can't really articulate a lot of it, I'm sure someone out there has said it better. Doesn't feel good, feels really weird.
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 08:09 pm (UTC)There is some reasonably good news to be had about something something overcoming discrimination and the odds. Out Magazine had a nice spread on some up and coming members of the Team USA. https://www.out.com/gay-athletes/queer-athletes-on-team-usa-2026-winter-olympics
no subject
Date: 2026-02-02 10:13 pm (UTC)I mean, the politics are still shitty - but that's becoming the case everywhere.
Want to be temporarily adopted? :)