Following an opening ceremony overshadowed by attacks on France’s national infrastructure, the 2024 Paris Olympics have officially begun
Interestingly, it’s not the arson attacks on the French rail network’s ‘nerve centers’ that have taken over Twitter, but rather a particular element of the opening ceremony.
The Olympics opening ceremony frequently sparks controversy, as people debate the way the host nation chooses to represent itself.
In a unique departure from tradition, Paris chose not to host the ceremony in a stadium. Instead, athletes and performers were paraded down the Seine River on barges.
These performances are grand, lively, and exuberant celebrations, highlighting the coming together of the world’s most talented athletes in a moment of international unity and peace.
As part of this, one segment of the opening ceremony featured a group of drag performers.
The 2024 Paris Olympics are officially underway following a historic opening ceremony. (Christian Liewig – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
The 18 performers stood behind a low table, with one performer in the center wearing an elaborate headpiece or crown.
On the Olympics Twitter page, the performance was described as an “interpretation of the Greek god Dionysus,” aimed at highlighting “the absurdity of violence between human beings.”
That aligns well with the Olympic spirit, but the performance has sparked a strong backlash from some users on Twitter.
