NBC Apologizes for Misgendering Transgender Olympian Elis Lundholm

NBCUniversal has issued an apology after a commentator misgendered Elis Lundholm, the first openly transgender man to compete in the Winter Olympics, during the livestream of the women’s moguls qualifying round at the Milano Cortina Games on February 10. Despite Lundholm using he/him pronouns, the commentator repeatedly referred to him as “she” throughout the event.

The AdvocateHuffPost

This incident is not isolated; NBC faced criticism during the 2021 Tokyo Games when commentators misgendered Team USA skateboarder Alana Smith, the first openly non-binary athlete to compete at the Olympics. Although NBC claimed that their commentators used the correct pronouns for Smith, video evidence contradicted this assertion, highlighting ongoing issues with accurate representation of transgender and non-binary athletes in sports media.

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In a statement to Outsports, an NBC representative acknowledged the misgendering, saying, “NBC Sports takes this matter seriously. Today we streamed an international feed with non-NBCUniversal commentators who misgendered Olympian Elis Lundholm. We apologize to Elis and our viewers, and we have removed the replay of that feed.” The public address announcer at the event correctly used Lundholm's pronouns, indicating that the error originated from the commentary team rather than the event itself.

The AdvocateHuffPost

The misgendering incident has drawn criticism from various advocacy groups and individuals within the LGBTQ+ community, who argue that such errors contribute to the marginalization of transgender athletes. The repeated misgendering during a high-profile event like the Olympics raises concerns about the media's responsibility to accurately represent all athletes, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

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Elis Lundholm, reflecting on his experience at the Olympics, stated to the Associated Press that he hasn't focused on the historical significance of his participation, emphasizing, “I’m just skiing.” His comments suggest a desire to compete on equal footing with other athletes, regardless of the attention surrounding his identity.

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While NBC has apologized for the misgendering, it remains unclear who was responsible for the commentary that aired on Peacock. The identity of the commentator who misgendered Lundholm has not been disclosed, leaving a gap in accountability for the incident. Additionally, while the misgendering occurred during a livestream, the replay was initially available on NBC’s website before being removed, raising questions about the network's handling of the situation.

The Advocate

• “Today we streamed an international feed with non-NBCUniversal commentators who misgendered Olympian Elis Lundholm. We apologize to Elis and our viewers, and we have removed the replay of that feed.” — NBC Representative

The Advocate

• “same conditions as everyone else, so yeah, I’m just skiing.” — Elis Lundholm, Olympian

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This incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by transgender athletes in gaining recognition and respect within competitive sports, highlighting the need for greater awareness and sensitivity in sports commentary.

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