London 2012 handball Olympian Alexandra Lacrabère took part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the French team came fifth. Before joining the 2012 French Olympic Women’s Handball Team, she played for the club, Arvor 29.
Last Saturday, shouts of “Allez les bleus” resounded in the Copper clad arena as the 2012 French women’s team startled spectators by defeating Olympic, World and European champions, Norway, 24-23. Right Back Lacrabère delivered 3 goals before being sent to the bench in the second half for a defensive foul.
Alexandra, 24, came out in a November interview with the Handball Newsletter HandAction, when asked what she did when she wasn’t playing handball. She just offhandedly answered, “I can paint, I make paintings in particular. I can go shopping and I especially spend time with my girlfriend.†In addition to Alexandra, France has only 3 openly lesbian sportswomen: Amélie Mauresmo and Carole Péon & Jessica Harrison.
Earlier this year, OutSports quoted a Yagg.com interview:
Your colleagues in the France team were aware that you’re gay?
In fact, everyone knows about me. My family has always accepted. In the middle, people know I’m gay and it’s not because I’m gay that clubs do not want me. In the France team, there has never been any barriers between us.
Alexandra Lacrabère can be followed on Facebook.
Image: Facebook
Stuart Wilber. Photo by Mathew Ryan Williams
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Stuart Wilber believes that living life openly as a Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Allied person is the most powerful kind of activism. Shortly after meeting his partner in Chicago in 1977, he opened a gallery named In a Plain Brown Wrapper, where he exhibited cutting edge work by leading artists; art that dealt with sexuality and gender identification. In the late 1980’s when they moved to San Clemente, CA in Orange County, life as an openly gay couple became a political act. They moved to Seattle 16 years ago and married in Canada a few weeks after British Columbia legalized same-sex marriage. Although legally married in some countries, they are only considered domestic partners in Washington State. Equality continues to elude him.