Caitlin Cahow, an openly gay two-time Olympic medalist, will write a column about the games for Logo TV, Viacom’s TV network focused on the LGBT community.
A three-time world champion in ice hockey, Cahow attended the Sochi Olympics as a member of President Obama’s official delegation. She is one of two lesbians, along with legendary tennis player Billie Jean King, whom the administration selected to represent Obama during an Olympics hosted by a nation that has passed a spate of anti-gay laws.
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Cahow will write four columns for Logo over the course of the games, the first about her experience as a part of that delegation.
“It’s a unique opportunity for an openly gay former athlete to speak about the Olympic Games,” Cahow told TheWrap. “The conversations going on right now are really important – not just in the context of this issue but around the world. This is not just an LGBT issue. It’s a worldwide human rights issue.”
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Unifying disparate countries and peoples was a primary motivation for the creation of the modern Olympics, and Cahow believes any conversation about human rights is organic.
“This is a critical time for gay rights, not only in our country, but around the world,” MTV president Stephen Friedman said in a statement. “Our audience is deeply invested in learning how gay athletes are treated during these games. Caitlin’s unique perspective makes her the ideal voice to share her first-hand experiences and observations during her time in Sochi. ”
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Though she is an advocate for LGBT rights, Cahow said her column will tell many different positive stories the media often ignores wile obsessing over medal counts. Many journalists covering Sochi spent their first few days in Russia bemoaning the utilities in Sochi.
Cahow wants to talk about volunteers, and share memories of her first experience observing the Olympics as a spectator rather than an athlete.
“If we want to be critical of those we disagree with, we have to be honest about the values we share,” Cahow said. “We share a devotion to making this a spectacle the world can enjoy.”