A “drag queen” parody of “The Last Supper” caused controversy at the Olympics’ Inaugural Ceremony. For some, it was an inclusive moment, while others found it offensive.
An enormous controversy erupted on social media during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. A group of ‘drag queens’ parodied the iconic image of ‘The Last Supper,’ leading to a flood of comments. Many notable figures in France and globally responded.
Two men kissing, ‘drag queens’ recreating a Last Supper, and a transgender model featured prominently in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony. These references to the LGBTQ+ community upset parts of the French extreme right.
The 2024 Olympic Games inauguration highlighted several LGBTQ+ community members, emphasizing diversity and inclusion. However, the final image, where a group recreated Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper,’ sparked outrage worldwide due to its religious.
The most striking moment was an artistic painting, “Festivity,” depicting a group at a table with several famous ‘drag queens’ (Nicky Doll, Paloma, and Piche, recognizable by their blonde beards). The scene evoked Jesus Christ’s last supper with his apostles.
Many saw this as a lack of respect for one of the world’s most famous paintings. French MEP Marion Marechal criticized the ceremony on social media, saying, “Difficult to appreciate the strange scenes between decapitated Marie Antoinette, a kissing troupe, drag queens, the humiliation of the Republican Guard forced to dance with Aya Nakamura, the ugliness of the costumes, and the choreographies.”