Rebeca Andrade, the Olympic gymnast, has come out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community by hard-launching her new girlfriend on Instagram.
What happened?
Andrade shared a sweet picture of her girlfriend kissing her cheek to her Instagram stories this week.
A caption, originally written in Portuguese, reads: “Thank you for supporting me and being here at this important moment in my life! I love you.”
Why it matters for Rebeca Andrade
The news has been met with delight from fans, with many taking to the r/gymnastics subreddit to share their congratulations.
One user wrote: “I just shrieked ‘REBECA ANDRADE GAY?!’”
Another user said: “What a recruit for Team [rainbow emoji]’s WAG team!”
Andrade, who has previously won six Olympic medals for Brazil, is an inspiration to many in the sport.
What comes next?
Several fans also referenced Jade Carey, another gymnastics Olympic medalist who came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community last year.
One user wrote: “Yay, with her and Jade, I love that we’re seeing more and more gymnasts being openly out with their partners during their careers!”
Andrade's decision to come out has been seen as a positive step for representation in women's artistic gymnastics.
The news has sparked a conversation about the importance of LGBTQ+ visibility in sports.
Andrade's girlfriend has been welcomed by fans, who are excited to see the couple's relationship grow.
As Rebeca Andrade continues to inspire fans with her gymnastics skills, her decision to come out has shown that she is a role model both on and off the floor.