Coming Out

Gus Kenworthy breaks down while discussing his experiences coming out

You didn’t think you could love Olympic snowboarder Gus Kenworthy any more than you already do — but you were wrong. So very wrong.  Seriously: What is wrong with you?

The latest season of MTV’s The Challenge features the athlete as a contestant, and a newly-released scene finds him opening up about coming out with former champion Cara Maria.

Related: Gus Kenworthy Has Something To Show You (You’re Welcome)

“I just always thought that my life as a skier and my life as a gay man couldn’t co-exist,” he says, and then starts getting emotional:

“And after a while I just realized that the pain of holding on to this lie and the pain I was having from being in the closet was actually greater than the fear of just saying f**k it and letting go and so I was just like, screw it, I’m gonna come out…The following season was my best year competitively. I didn’t miss a podium. The sponsors were all super supportive.”

Related: Gus Kenworthy Defies Publicist, Proudly Shows Off His Fine Assets

Later, in a follow-up interview, he adds:

“I just hope that my story can be a beacon of light for other people that are in the closet and just let people know that the best way you can live is authentically and genuinely and everyone deserves to be free and happy.”

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