A parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting “The Last Supper” by several drag artists during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 on July 26 has become a hot topic on social media. The original painting depicts Jesus Christ’s last meal with his disciples before he was arrested and crucified.
During the opening ceremony, drag queens portrayed Jesus and his disciples, an act that sparked various reactions from the public, including prominent figures in France and around the world. The performance featured two men kissing, drag queens imitating “The Last Supper,” and a transgender model, aiming to showcase the diversity and inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community at the world’s most significant sporting event.
Not everyone appreciated the performance. The French extreme right, in particular, expressed outrage over the LGBTQ+ references. One netizen posted on the social media platform X, “To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation.” Another added, “The Olympic organizers are a bunch of liberal nuts who have lost their minds.”
To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation. #notinmyname
— Marion Maréchal (@MarionMarechal) July 26, 2024
À tous les chrétiens du monde… pic.twitter.com/GusP2TR63u
In a related incident, Filipino drag artist Pura Luka Vega faced severe criticism for incorporating the “Ama Namin” (The Lord’s Prayer) into a performance while impersonating Jesus Christ. This led to Vega being declared persona non grata in various places, with several groups filing cases against him.
This is crazy. Opening your event by replacing Jesus and the disciples at the The Last Supper with men in drag. There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate
— Clint Russell (@LibertyLockPod) July 26, 2024
NOT WELCOME pic.twitter.com/T88AmXbqXL
As of now, the Paris Olympics organizers have not released an official statement regarding the issue. The event has stirred significant controversy and divided public opinion. Many are closely watching how the Olympic organizers will respond to the backlash and handle this issue, which has garnered worldwide attention.