Olympic Climber Campbell Harrison Inspires as First Out Gay Athlete

When Campbell Harrison kissed his boyfriend Justin after qualifying for the Paris Olympics, he had no idea that moment would change his life.

The 28-year-old Australian became the first openly gay climber to compete in the Olympics. Months after his qualification, the Olympic Games official account shared the kiss photo with its 14 million followers.

Within hours, Harrison faced thousands of homophobic comments and death threats flooding his inbox. The next day during training, the sheer volume of hate overwhelmed him and he broke down in tears.

"In Melbourne I live in my leftist bubble where everyone's a little bit fruity, or an ally, but the bubble popped that day," Harrison says. The experience forced him to confront a harsh reality about the world beyond his progressive community.

But instead of retreating, Harrison doubled down on visibility. Growing up, he internalized the idea that being gay was "bad" because he had no positive role models to show him otherwise.

"I think if I had had examples of queer people growing up who were happy, successful and doing cool things like climbing internationally I might not have felt so much shame and stigma," he explains.

Harrison was drawn to climbing precisely because it felt less restrictive than traditional Australian sports like football. The sport's informal, playground-like atmosphere created natural opportunities for community building without the pressure of bars or clubs.

Groups like Climbing QTs, an LGBTQ+ social climbing organization, helped transform the sport's culture over two decades. As a relatively new Olympic sport, climbing had the advantage of building inclusive values from the ground up.

Why This Inspires

Harrison's courage extends beyond his own sport. He recently celebrated AFL player Mitch Brown, the first current or former Australian rules football player to come out as bisexual.

"He's the first in a sport that has a chokehold on a huge part of the nation," Harrison notes. Brown's openness in one of Australia's most traditional sports creates ripples that benefit everyone.

By sharing stories about locker room homophobia, athletes like Brown help people understand why visibility matters. It's not just about being able to mention your partner at work, Harrison explains. It's about ensuring people don't think being queer makes someone worthy of abuse.

Harrison now embraces his role as a trailblazer, even when it feels like a burden. He knows that young athletes watching him compete see possibilities they might never have imagined for themselves.