Later in February, figure skater Adam Rippon will become the first-ever openly gay man to represent America in the Winter Olympics.
As Attitude reports, there was a time in Rippon’s life when he believed he’d never be able to come out of the closet.
The 28-year-old figure skater (a former US National Champion) tells the magazine that the stereotype of gay male figure skaters made it that much more difficult for him to accept himself.
“I think it’s such a cliché to be a gay figure starter,” he says, “and everyone makes fun of you for being gay as soon as you start skating so you badly want that not to be true.”
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“And when you finally get the realization, when you get a little bit older that, “Oh shit, I’m gay,” you’re like, “but I don’t want to be’.
I don’t think I found a world that welcomed me. Along with that stereotype there’s sometimes the pushback, the ‘Not another one, we don’t want them’. That’s the way some people feel.”
He eventually came out to friends and immediate family at 22; to the world at large at 25.
“I remember being young and thinking to myself ‘I will never tell anyone that I’m gay’,” he says.
“It’s so sad to repeat this but I remember verbatim saying to myself, ‘Nobody will ever know, I will never tell anyone, I have to live with this for the rest of my life’.”
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Juanjo
I had a female cousin who was a very serious figure skater, attending the various summer camps and clinics and completely. There were several times I was assigned to shuttle her to and from events and drop her off and pick her up at clinics and camps. I met a lot of the guys who attended those events and participated. They were for the most part effeminate even by gay standards. I can see where a young man trying to figure things out for himself might see how people treated male figure skaters and have a reaction like this man did. Fortunately, he matured and moved on.
Rex Huskey
is your female cousin the one that skated over your nutsac and face?
charlie_jackpot
Who takes their pictures? All these instagrammers walk around with a photographer friend?
spacecadet
Yes, they are called “friends”.
BigJohnSF
What about Gus Kenworthy? He has made the Olympic team.
Coreydnyc
Gus is out now but wasn’t when he participated in the last winter Olympics. Not sure why Adam gets the “first” distinction maybe because his event is first?
spacecadet
@CoreyDnyc – That’s right, Kenworthy came out after his Olympic events had concluded so Rippon is indeed the first gay athlete to already be out going into the games.
kcguy
Looks very gay to me ?. Nothing wrong with that is there. Be out and Proud. P
Rex Huskey
yep, he’s def one!
ShowMeGuy
Am I the only person who remembers RUDY GALINDO…..the gayest person to ever step onto an Olympic ice rink?
Bocaboy
Love Rudy.
Bocaboy
Proud of you Adam. Looking forward to you competition. Good luck!
LuckyAlex
I am thrilled he had the courage to come out and live a free life rather than in a prison. Never easy to come out with all the ignorance going around but there is no other choice.