Tag: out athletes

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Gus Kenworthy’s Olympic Kiss Seen Round The World

Gus Kenworthy kisses his bf Matthew Wilkas at 2018 Winter Olympics

When Gus Kenworthy came out in 2015, he told ESPN Magazine that he felt like a “coward” in not acknowledging his boyfriend during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

Well, what a difference 4 years and a shattered closet door makes.

Before yesterday’s qualifying runs in the slopestyle competition, Kenworthy gave his boyfriend Matthew Wilkas a kiss that was captured by the NBC Sports cameras.

And the world swooned.

Kenworthy told The Guardian:

“I didn’t even know that that was a televised moment at all, but I think that’s amazing,” Kenworthy said afterward. “That’s something that I wanted at the last Olympics was to share a kiss with my boyfriend at the bottom and it was something that I was too scared to do for myself. And so to be able to do that, to give him a kiss, to have that affection broadcasted for the world is incredible.

“I think that the only way to really change perceptions, break down homophobia, break down barriers is through representation. That’s definitely not something I had as a kid. I definitely didn’t see a gay athlete at the Olympics kissing their boyfriend and I think that if I had it would have made it a lot easier for me, so hopefully it did that for other people.”

Kenworthy, who scored a silver medal in Sochi, broke his thumb earlier this week and also suffered from a massive hematoma on his hip that required six vials of blood to be drained, will not take home a medal from this Olympic trip.

He easily qualified for the finals, but in his three final runs was unable to string together the jumps he needed to make the podium. But the handsome 26-yearold skier from Telluride, Colorado, seems at peace with his day.

“If you look at me right now, I’m bummed but I’m not sulking, I’m not crying,” Kenworthy shared with The Guardian. “I’m really proud to be here.”

“Being out at this Games has kind of meant the world to me. Just getting to really be myself and be authentic and I think that landing a run in the final, getting on the podium obviously would have been icing on the cake.”

“But even though it didn’t happen for me, I still had a wonderful Olympic experience and I’m really happy for the guys that did get on the podium. I don’t know, maybe there’s a next time.”

Kenworthy easily qualified for the finals of slopestyle with his 90.80

And Team Kenworthy was all smiles and rainbows cheering their guy on

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News Round-Up: February 17, 2018

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Out Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy (above) welcomed his bf Matthew Wilkas to PyeongChang just in time to watch Kenworthy in the slopestyle competition.

• UK tabloid The Daily Mail is losing advertisers after a columnist for the rag wrote a homophobic piece criticizing Tom Daley & Dustin Lance Black for sharing an ultrasound image of their soon-to-arrive baby.

• RuPaul will join Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin for the newly-announced 5th season of Grace And Frankie set to be released by Netflix in 2019.

• OUT has announced it annual “100 Most Eligible Bachelors” for 2018. Since I’m married I didn’t make the list, but did you? Or your favorite out athlete/celeb/artist?

• Since 2010, the Olympics have featured Pride Houses where LGBTQ athletes and fans could relax in a safe space. But with no money budgeted for this at PyeongChang, Canada stepped up allowing Canada House to do double duty as Pride House.

• How about one more pic of our awesome Team USA competing at the Winter Olympics? Here’s woofy Carlos Valdes – a member of our four-man bobsled team who competes next Saturday.

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Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy Would Not Accept An Invitation To The Trump White House

Gus Kenworthy says he would not accept an invitation to visit the Trump White House

Out US Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy told CBS This Morning he agrees with fellow Team USA athlete Adam Rippon in his opposition to Vice President Pence and the Trump administration’s anti-LGBT policies and positions.

Speaking to CBS News’ Don Dahler,” Kenworthy said he had “no patience” for the administration’s actions “attacking” the LGBT community.

From The Hill:

“When we have people elected into office that believe in conversion therapy and are trying to strip trans rights in the military and do these things that are directly attacking the LGBT community, I have no patience,” he said.

His comments appear to reference claims that Vice President Mike Pence supported “gay conversion therapy,” which Pence’s office has denied.

Kenworthy earlier this month called Pence a “bad fit” to lead the U.S. delegation to Pyeongchang, South Korea.

“I am so proud to be from the U.S. and to be from a country where you are able to voice your political opinions and stand up for what you believe in,” Kenworthy said on CBS on Thursday.

The woofy freestyle skier from Telluride, Colorado, added that he sees this moment as one of the first gay Americans to compete at a Winter Games as an opportunity to “shed people’s misconceptions” about LGBT athletes.

“I definitely carry a little bit of a burden with me, being a gay athlete going to the Olympics,” said Kenworthy. “I think that there’s pressure… and I think that it kind of gives us a chance to shed people’s misconceptions and just kind of like break down barriers.”

I love this guy.

You can watch Kenworthy’s comments below.

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Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy Shares His Journey To PyeongChang

Out Olympian Gus Kenworthy shares part one of a video trilogy made in conjunction with Samsung chronicling his journey to the 2018 Winter Olympics.

In this clip, titled “Roots,” he looks back on his small hometown of Telluride, Colorado, where no one had gone to the Olympics, let alone win a silver medal as he did in the 2014 Winter Games.

He also allows that he was worried if his fellow Telluriders would have celebrated his success had they known he was gay.

But those fears and concerns proved to be unfounded as he faced coming out in 2015.

Kenworthy is proving an excellent advocate for the LGBTQ community with his calm, honest storytelling of how he got to this moment.

Looking forward to parts two and three. Watch below.

(h/t TheOUTFront)

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Gus Kenworthy Fields Questions About Pence And Shirtless Flagbearing At The Olympics

Gus Kenworthy

Out freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy took part in a press conference over the weekend at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang showing immense poise and confidence in answering questions about a range of topics.

On whether he would sit down to talk with Vice President Mike Pence about his anti-LGBT positions and policies:

“I think I’ve kind of made my opinion on the matter pretty clear. I don’t think that I have any inclination toward a meeting. It think that would be a much bigger distraction for me and right now, I’m just focusing on competing but I’m very excited to be here representing the US and the LGBT community. I’m very happy to meet Adam and we got to hang out at opening ceremonies and I think he’s just a tremendous guy.”

On how being out feels different at these Winter Games:

“I think I’ve actually always been someone that has had to compartmentalize my life because I was in the closet and I was always at fear of outing myself. And I always had so much going on in my mind that I couldn’t share it with anyone, so I actually feel, now that I’m out, I have less to compartmentalize. Although I’ve made it very clear who I am and I think I have taken a step into a sort of leadership role for the LGBT community because there isn’t a ton of representation at the Games, it’s also just me and I’m just being myself. So it’s almost easier than ever to be here and be competing and just feel free and liberated. I’m excited for Adam and all the other out athletes here. It’s an amazing time to be at the Winter Games.”

In a light-hearted moment, Kenworthy was asked if he would take his shirt off, as cross-country skier Pita Taufatofua of Tonga did, if he were to be chosen as flag bearer someday:

“I actually don’t know how that Tongalese guy did that because it was freezing. We had our incredible Ralph Lauren apparel and it was heated. And it was still pretty cold. I’ve got a lot of respect for that guy going out with nothing on. Sure, I would happily do that, but I think there are more aptly suited people to carry the flag. This is Kelly Clark’s fifth Olympics and there are so many people who have insane legacies, and I’m definitely proud of what I’ve done but I doubt I’d be flagbearer if I made it to another Games. But sure, I’ll take it off if I get it.”

Watch the woofy Kenworthy below.

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Adam Rippon Charms On Good Morning America

In an interview with Good Morning America today, US figure skater Adam Rippon was asked whether he would be willing to sit down with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss the anti-LGBT policies and positions Pence has promoted for several years.

Rippon gave the perfect answer.

“You know, I personally don’t have anything to say to Mike Pence. I’m very lucky because legislation that he’s pushed hasn’t affected my life at all. I spoke out because there are people out there who’s lives have been affected by change that he’s tried to make. I spoke out for them because right now I have a voice and I think it’s really important for me to use it. So, that’s a conversation for them to have.”

He was also asked about how he plans on celebrating once he gets home to the US. “I plan on going to Target, getting a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc Oyster Bay, with the twist top…? Yeah, immediately.”

I love that Adam is totally Adam in every interview he’s giving.

Watch below.

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Team USA Takes Home Bronze Medal In Team Figure Skating As Adam Rippon Makes Spectacular Debut

Adam Rippon

It was a spectacular night of Olympic figure skating last night as I sat glued to my flatscreen watching Team USA win the bronze medal in the Team skating event.

In the women’s freeskate, Mirai Nagasu made history as the first US woman to ever land a triple axel in Olympic competition (and only the third woman ever).

Out figure skater Adam Rippon made his Olympic debut for the mens freeskate and was dazzling in a performance that captivated the crowd and proved he has what it takes to be a major contender at these games.

Not to grouse, but many viewers were confounded by the fact that Rippon skated a totally clean skate but was scored third behind the skaters from Canada and Russia who both fell. Waiting to see that explained.

It’s worth noting that Rippon and Nagasu, who are besties and roommates at the Olympics, were shut out of the 2014 Olympics. So last night must have been an especially sweet moment to savor together.

In the end, Team Canada took gold, Olympic Athletes from Russia was awarded silver and the Americans took home the bronze.

In doing so, Rippon becomes the first openly gay American to win a Winter Olympic medal.

Also, Eric Radford of Canada becomes the first openly gay athlete to win gold at a Winter Olympics.

In an interview after his skate, Rippon was asked what the experience was like. After a pause, he responded, “Andrea, it’s like pretty awesome. I highly recommend it.”

And fellow gay American Gus Kenworthy posted this on his Instagram:

A post shared by gus kenworthy (@guskenworthy) on Feb 12, 2018 at 12:22am PST

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Podcast: Bermuda Repeals Marriage Equality; Out US Olympians Celebrate Opening Ceremonies; Sir Ian McKellen Remarks On Kevin Spacey’s Late-Life Coming Out

In this week’s podcast:

• Bermuda becomes the first country in the world to repeal marriage equality

• The 2018 Winter Olympics open as the U.S. celebrates our first two out male athletes to compete at a Winter Games

• Sir Ian McKellen finds Kevin Spacey late-life coming out “distasteful”

• Plus, out singers Matt Zarley & Jeb Havens cover Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband”

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Meet The 2018 Out Winter Olympians

Out U.S. Olympians – L to R – Adam Rippon, Brittany Bowe & Gus Kenworthy

With the 2018 Winter Olympics underway, the folks at OutSports.com have compiled a list of the 14 out athletes taking part in the games at PyeoungChang.

The list includes three Americans – freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy, figure skater Adam Rippon and speedskater Brittany Bowe.

Brittany Bowe (U.S., speedskating): Bowe is a former inline skater who has excelled on the ice, setting world records and winning medals. She competed in Sochi in 2014 but did not medal. An NBC Olympics profile noted that Bowe is dating Dutch speedskater Manon Kamminga. “It’s nice being with somebody that has the same passion, same drive, same goals,” Bowe said. “It’s obviously difficult living on different sides of the world. But we’re both focused on our goal.”

Gus Kenworthy (U.S., slopestyle free skiing): Easily the most publicized LGBT athlete of the Olympics, Kenworthy (a 2014 silver medalist) is a strong medal contender. He has gotten numerous endorsements and is one of NBC’s faces of the Games.

Adam Rippon (U.S., figure skating): The “old man” of the U.S. skating team at 28, Rippon jokes that he is proud of his “sons” Nathan Chen (18) and Vincent Zhou (17). Rippon came out in 2015 and proudly wears the banner of being the first publicly gay figure skater. His social media is acerbic and witty and must-follow.

These games mark the first time there will be openly gay men competing in the Winter Olympics.

According to OutSports, the number of out Olympians tops the seven from the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. In contrast, there were 56 out Olympians at the much larger Summer Olympics in 2016.

Note: there well may be other LGBTQ athletes at the Olympics this season, but this list only includes those who have publicly acknowledged being out.

Thanks to OutSports!

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Pro Wrestler Jake Atlas Comes Out

Jake Atlas (image via Instagram)

Pro wrestler Jake Atlas recently came out via a statement on his Facebook:

In July 2015, I made a bold statement to my trainer, Robby Phoenix that I would win the Rookie of the Year award. Brody King, Douglas James and myself started our training around the same time, so when they won the award, I promised them that I would finish the trifecta.

This award may mean a lot to some and nothing to others, but to me however, it is my biggest accomplishment to date. The award itself, of course, but the journey to achieving it is what I am most proud of. The commitment, sacrifice, and dedication to reach a goal I set out for myself proves that with hard work, it’s what you put out that determines what you receive.

I’ve been trained by the very best in Joey Kaos, Los Luchas, Kevin Condron and Robby Phoenix. I owe it to them for instilling important values that help me strive for success each and every day. I’m proud to represent the best school in California (and one of the best in the nation.)

Last, I am proud to fulfill my promise of coming out publicly about my sexuality to be a voice for those that struggle with this issue like I have for many, many years; to be a voice that reminds everyone in the same shoes that there is nothing you cannot achieve.

I made history. And I plan to make more. This is only the beginning of many “firsts” left to come in my career. Thank you.

You can read more about Atlas’ coming out in this in-depth interview with SoCalUncensored.

Congrats, Jake!