Here’s one major upside for athletes to come out — they get to show off their hot partners cheering them on during competitions.
Boyfriends/girlfriends making the switch from anonymous crowd members to loving significant others is not only a bonus for the onlookers and audience at home, it’s got to feel extra special for athletes to experience the acceptance firsthand.
After a very public coming out for skier Gus Kenworthy, last weekend’s Aspen X Games provided the perfect opportunity for his boyfriend, Gayby actor Matthew Wilkas, to cheer him on loud and proud.
And it would seem the open approach paid off — Kenworthy took home two medals.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Related: PHOTOS: Is This Gus Kenworthy’s Mysterious Older Boyfriend? (Yes.)
“You have a lot of support down here. This is a pretty historic night,” said an ESPN reporter after Kenworthy’s silver medal SuperPipe run.
“I’m just feeling good this year. I’m just happy,” he replied.
“Got a big weight off my shoulders, and oh my god I’m emotional. Yeah, I just feel good. That was honestly the best run I’ve ever done.”
Related: That Time Gus Kenworthy Got In Between Andy Cohen And Anderson Cooper
He added to Rolling Stone: “Yeah, the TV boyfriend thing sounds weird, I know. But everyone I looked up to growing up, they would show their girlfriend on TV – you know, Simon Dumont’s girlfriend, or Tanner Hall’s girlfriend, or whatever. I was just kind of bummed that it was something that I’d never have.
“I felt like I was never going to be confident and authentic and introduce someone as my boyfriend to the reporters and have him on TV. It was really special to want to do that and be happy about it. It was amazing.”
He took to Instagram to share the moment:
Here’s the couple last week backstage at Conan:
Brent Labee
sex face with the guy behind him.
Irish Ryan
Nice!
Gerard David Jr
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SMILE!
DDstar1me
Oh…gezzzzzz. I’d rather we talk about Zac Efron. This guys story line is like a dried up cum stain.
Glücklich
In the second photograph Matthew Wilkas is SO FREAKIN’ HAWT! Ugh! Could hold that beautiful face in my hands for days! I want rug burn on my neck from his beard.
@Brent Labee:
BWA HA HA HA! That *is* funny!
redcarpet30
Very attractive men and lucky as hell. But they are falling victim to “gay couples who look like twins” syndrome.
Michael Martinez
Not the first. ESPN in 2012 covered the PBA championship from Las Vegas that year’s winner was married to another man and his husband was referred to throughout the competition. At the end they showed the champion bowler and his husband in an emotional embrace that finished with tears of joy and big kiss between the husbands. There are numerous links to the footage and the subsequent interviews. It takes about 30 seconds and access to any web browser to find that info. Does Queerty not teach its reporters how to use computers or the internet? Or is it just that these two are “hot” so nothing that came before them counts?
Donald J. Sullivan
I wish he had an upper lip
okbye
That is awesome! Good for ESPN.
Dirtybird_Mary
Right on! .., never heard of either one of these guys (yes apparently I DO live under a rock) … But good for them.
Markajv
WHY is HE still happening??
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/markajv
Desert Boy
“Wilbur. The times are a changing”.
Glücklich
@Dirtybird_Mary:
Make room, Mary. I often wish I could find such a rock.
Markajv
@Michael Martinez: THANK YOU!!!!!!
Markajv
@Michael Martinez: THANK YOU!!!!!! – Not every moment is a “Gay” moment in history.
Paco
His face kind of has that particular wasting look to it.
KEVINVENTION
@Paco: And your comment kind of has that particular, tired, stereotypical bitchiness to it. Really? Is that all you got? How incredibly RUDE, MEAN-SPIRITED and CRUEL. (Not to mention TELLING — on your part…). WAY TO GO, GUS (& BOYFRIEND)! Some of us can actually feel happy about another person’s happiness…
Alan down in Florida
@Michael Martinez: http://www.outsports.com/2013/1/1/4054128/espn-shows-pro-bowler-scott-norton-kissing-his-husband-after-victory
Cagnazzo82
Interesting times we live in. Happy for them.
However… I still don’t believe romantic relationships are all that relevant to sports.
But I can understand why this one might be put on the spot.
Markajv
@KEVINVENTION: Because Gay Men are known for always being Sweet, Nice and Complimentary towards each other…..grabs knife and shoves it into a friends back. More gay men have been rejected because they don’t fit a specific look or body type than straight men. They also get more news coverage if they are so called “Hot” and always take their shirts off. Because that’s what Gay men are. Just sex objects to one another. Seems like the news coverage has had it right for decades.
KEVINVENTION
@Markajv: By and large, that may seem to be the case. But, generally speaking, blanket statements like that about any group are rarely true. I, for one, don’t stab other gay men in the back for sport (even though some need it) and I don’t reject folks based on their hotness quotient. That being said, those same attributes may be why I’m single and have been for a LONG time… 😉
Stache
@Paco: Your face has that kind of green envy look over top the jaded bitterness to it.
Stache
@KEVINVENTION: Comments like that are reminders to me how bitchy and mean spirited some gay men can be no matter what. Also, to not take anything personal.
Stache
@KEVINVENTION: Comment directed at Paco btw..
Markajv
@KEVINVENTION: Ditto. But my “Opinion” was not a blanket if you re-read. And be careful of Stache. He’ll try and chew you up and spit you out. – I am still standing.
KEVINVENTION
@Stache: I know… 😉
KEVINVENTION
@Markajv: Thanks for the Heads Up. I think I’ve got this… 🙂
Markajv
Qweerty – Take a look. You might need to change your headline: http://www.outsports.com/2013/1/1/4054128/espn-shows-pro-bowler-scott-norton-kissing-his-husband-after-victory
Bryguyf69
@redcarpet30 wrote: “Very attractive men and lucky as hell. But they are falling victim to “gay couples who look like twins” syndrome.”
===
Twins? No. Father and son, maybe…
Bryguyf69
Is it normal to have “XXXXX’s Boyfriend” in the caption? It just seems so awkward. Does ESPN do that with heterosexual boy/girlfriends? From what I remember, they would just have the name, but the commentators would state the relationship. If so, is it a good or bad thing that they made an exception for a gay boyfriend?
Bryguyf69
@Michael Martinez: Well, yes and no. True, they mentioned Norton’s husband and showed the kiss. However, the entire episode wasn’t organic like this Kenworthy footage. Instead, it was negotiated and even semi-choreographed. And it wasn’t even ESPN’s decision. Apparently, Norton negotiated how his relationship and husband would be depicted with the PBA. And he discussed a possible kiss with his husband beforehand, although the results were spontaneous. Still, his husband went out because a friend pushed him out, partially to make a statement. It wasn’t natural as it is with most straight spouses. See Norton interview below.
This Kenworthy footage was organic and unforced. So in that sense, yes, it’s an ESPN first.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTTdLRXCpPA
chris_clb614
There’s a difference between the skier here and a previously mentioned bowler versus a certain draft day moment *COUGH* Michael Sam *COUGH*.
Markajv
@Bryguyf69: Years ago I saw an underground theater local production and they had a musical # called “Clones In Love” I laughed my ass off and ever since I have noticed that a LOT of gay couples look alike. It leads me to believe that they are so narcissistic that they find a partner that looks like them so they can have sex with themselves. HAHAHA!
Markajv
@Bryguyf69: So what you are saying is that ESPN actually broke new ground with the PBA and broadcasting. Calculated sounds insidious. He wanted to be treated as an equal and they did exactly that.
This whole Gus Kenworthy thing is a joke. An affluent skier who is constantly pushed into the gay limelight because he’s so called “Hot” and take his shirt of all the time.(The Gay Cliche’) Does magazine spreads and talks about Kissing, and the first time he had sex.and blah blah blah is NOT a gay role model. It’s 2016. There are a LOT of Gay athletes. I doubt coming out was going to get him ridiculed by X-treme games. Wait, he did come out. What happened? Gay media tries making him a “STAR” I see NO suffrage from his side. Now he say’s his coming out doesn’t warrant magazine covers? After he’s been on everything? A True role model is someone who fought adversity and rose to the top. What adversity did this poser go through? Gay and Sports aren’t as separate as they were 20-30 years ago. WHY does anyone CARE who is gay or not? Only judgmental people care, and those people you should just cast aside from your life.
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/markajv
Bryguyf69
@Markajv: There’s a lot there to cover and I have a hot patient waiting (LOL) so I’ll just give a cursory reply. ESPN broke new ground with Scott Norton, Michael Sam and this Gus Kenworthy footage. They all have different nuances, and each is worthy of celebration. In this case, ESPN seem to have sought out the boyfriend, and the actions were entirely ESPN’s decision.
re: Kenworthy, let’s be honest — being attractive (and eloquent … see Anderson Cooper interview) helps get attention. Just look at Youtube. As such, a closeted teen would sooner access his videos than they would a video by someone who earned his status as role model through adversity. And as someone who has counseled gay teens, I have to say that your term, “true role model” is nonsensical. A true role model is whomever a person finds inspirational — or aspirational. That’s why The Kardashians — as much as I hate them — are real role models to thousands of girls. It doesn’t matter if you or I disapprove since we’re not talking about OUR role models.
Finally, keep in mind that you are viewing this from the eyes of a [presumably] out gay man. Gays who find him overexposed are forgetting that most people don’t read Queerty — or gay media. The average heterosexual has probably seen one or two interviews with Kenworthy, i.e. Conan, and no more. S/he is unlikely to seen the beefcake layouts and he affectionate photos. Yet those are exactly the people for whom you want gays normalized. To many heterosexuals, Kenworthy is the quintessential overachieving boy-next-door. And that’s not a spokesmodel to have, whether for gays or the sport of skiing.
Bryguyf69
@Bryguyf69: Oops, that last sentence should have been, “And that’s not a BAD spokesmodel to have, whether for gays or the sport of skiing.”
Bryguyf69
@Markajv: @Markajv: Interesting take on gay couples… Two quick thoughts: 1) Gay friends say that I may own the largest collection of gay erotica featuring twins (I inherited a gay video archive). It has footage from the early 70’s on. The early stuff was much more explicit (and affectionate) than the stuff we see today. Look up the O’Brien Twins. Wild stuff. 2) A study showed that gays tend to date — or want to date — men who are significantly more attractive than themselves (as judged by others). I believe the discrepancy was higher than that in straight men, straight women and lesbians.
Markajv
@Bryguyf69: come on! Gay youths on YouTube are just as looks obsessed. They watch or look at him because he’s been made a sex object, shows off his bid, takes off his shirt…not because he is eloquent.
Bryguyf69
@Markajv: Er, you’ve just agreed with what I said. Agreed completely, in fact. Read my comment again. It’s often not about talent or “worthiness,” but who attracts your eye. That is especially true with Vine and Youtube. And studies show that it goes beyond youths.
The question is not whether he or anyone else meets your (or my) standards of being a role model, but whether Kenworthy is doing any harm. The behavior of Justin Bieber and many hip hop stars, for example, is harmful and should not be emulated. I see no evidence of harm by Kenworthy, either to gays, gay youths, youths in general or the sport of skiing. And yes, I’ve talked to many straight and as well as gay friends about this and I don’t see any reinforcement of negative stereotypes. If anything, their opinion is positive, and this includes many straight men (the vast majority of my friends and acquaintances), who have no sexual attraction to him.
You need to examine your definition of “role model.” Why should it be predicated on adversity and suffering? Look at the term, “role model.” It’s simply someone whose “role” you’d like to play and “model” your life, or parts of your life, after. Almost none of my role models have suffered significantly because I don’t need to rise above adversity. For example, two of my aspirational role models are polymaths, John von Neumann and Betrand Russell. And I have my online role models too, for the contributions that give to the community, Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy. I also like what billionaires Warren Buffet, the Zuckerberg-Chans and Gates are doing with philanthropy, and will eventually model my giving after them though at a much lower level. I also love Meryl Streep, Matt Damon, etc for their work on and offscreen. Etc, etc. Adversity and suffering don’t play a major part.
Bottom line: A role model is simply someone you want your life, or parts of your life, to emulate. S/he provides a template, whether explicit or aspirational. Some of us are suffering and looking for a way out. Others merely need guidance to achieve their goals. Why are you, Markajv, telling others what they need and what paths are “true”? Is that any better than the Religious Right who dismisses anyone gay as a proper role model?
PS – “suffrage” means the right to vote. I think you meant to write, “suffering.”
Captain Obvious
And the Elder power gays are still trying to make Kenworthy happen.
cutemikey
@Markajv: I’m not sure what your point is. His looks is the bait, and his eloquence helps air the message. Unless you don’t like his message, I don’t see the problem. It seems like YOU are the one obsessed with his looks, albeit in a negative way and ignore what he actually says.
You need to get over this one size fits all attitude. A person doesn’t need to suffer to be my role model. Sorry, but what you want in a role model is irrelevant to me and others. Are you really so self-centered to think otherwise?
Markajv
@cutemikey: Hey dickhead. This is a COMMENT section. You make the choice to reply to who you reply to. You can’t tell if someone is being serious or being facetious by typed words (Unles JK or HAHAHA) is put in. The one size fits all attitude you speak of, you can see that every weekend in a gay club, Or F’all at a pride parade. and that’s what they are selling with this guy. My opinion. Butthurt? your issue!