Meet Xu Jingsen, or ASam in an Anglicized translation. He’s a professional surfer from China who just came out publicly as gay.
ASam is believed to be the first professional Chinese athlete ever to come out as LGBTQ. Now, he says he’s planning on attending the Gay Games in Paris later this year where he will serve as an ambassador for his country.
In a post shared on China’s popular messaging service Weibo, ASam explained his decision (as translated by the Federation of Gay Games and Bing):
Hello everyone!
I am ASam. I will attend the global Gay Games in Paris, France, in August this year and serve as an ambassador.
Life is human, the ultimate measure of our inner courage.
Yes, I am gay.
We have the right to choose love and to be loved. Sex, age and skin color are not shackles.
We are all the same, living in the sun.
Today, I am brave to be my most true self, and I see it as the greatest gift I have ever given.
If my bravery brings comfort to those who feel lonely, and encourages them to support equality, then everything I do will be more meaningful.
Thanks everyone
ASam’s has been competing professionally since 2013, according to the World Surf database. Since surfing isn’t a sport at the Gay Games, he will be competing in both the swimming and basketball categories.
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The 2022 Gay Games will be held in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong.
h/t: Out Sports
Kieran
The “Gay Games”? Is that like the “Special Olympics” for homosexuals?
alakazam
It has a long tradition and historically being gay wasn’t welcome. The idea is that at Gay Games everyone is welcome, so it’s not only for homosexuals and professional athletes (there are skill divisions).
Also, in some disciplines, e.g., figure skating, you can compete in same-sex events (dance/pairs) which is not allowed at the ISU sanctioned events (including Olympics).
Shame though that it is prohibitively expensive to take part.
Kangol
It’s great to see Queerty covering Xu Jingsen, so I hope this means that 1) you’ll start covering more out LGBTQ athletes in the US and around the globe and 2) you’ll actually cover the Gay Games, which have been occurring since 1982. Unfortunately for Queerty they won’t all be twinks, but there will be many talented and hot LGBTQ athletes from all over the world there, so please, cover them if you can.
BTW, the 1994 Gay Games in New York were particularly legendary, as anyone who caught them and the Stonewall 25 celebrations that took place there that year can attest.