Because he wasn’t hiding in the closet, DIDN’TYOUKNOW. Out promoting his memoir Welcome To My World this morning on Today, Johnny says he does want you to judge his book by his cover. Also, that he’s “very surprised” by the reaction to his big reveal, which surprises me, because I’m pretty sure everyone out there knew this already? “I was born a white male. A white gay male. And I don’t celebrate being white or male. So why should I celebrate being gay? … I know people who have been activists for years and have worked so hard and tirelessly … and they have definitely wanted me to be an activist, but I think the best way I can be an activist is to live my life and not make that the main thing that is Johnny Weir. I’m much more than just a gay man.” So true. You are Evan Lysacek’s mortal enemy!
the non-ambition tour
Franky
What does he mean by “celebrate?” More like, be proud of who you are, in the face of extreme hostility and bigotry. No-one is saying have parties every day shouting to anyone and everyone who listens that you have sex with men. And yes, I understand that activism is not for everyone, but his sort of backhanded slap “why be an activist, I’m not obsessed with my sexuality like those queers” is insulting and comes off really haughty. It’s like he’s trying to distance himself from any recognition of the fact he’s gay.
I almost would agree with him but the general way he put it is sort of abrasive and critical. I’m not feeling it.
Franky
People like him rub me the wrong way. They celebrate gay rights advances, celebrating the fact gay acceptance has increased a bit, but they don’t do a damn thing to actually help foster greater change. They ride on the coattails of others, or they sit on the sidelines and come out with comments like “I don’t celebrate my gayness”, but they are the first ones to celebrate when another state allows marriage or DADT is repealed. Not everyone is in positions or knows how to help, but people who have the means necessary to do so but choose intentionally not to, really aren’t genuine supporters of the gay community.
Brandon H
Wow – shock that he does or says something that I actually agree with, but in this case I do. The best thing we can all do is be ourselves in life. Nothing worse than career queens on soap boxes shouting to the world day in and day out. Live your life as you see fit, let others live theirs as they see fit. If you want to be an out and proud activitist then great, but it is not a requirement of being born gay as many career gays would have us think, those constantly demanding entertainers and public figures come out officially to their detriment…
michiko
I have to agree with Johnny on this one. If you’re a celebrity and you come out, you’re suddenly expected to do a circuit of all the gay awards dinners (PFLAG, HRC, GLAAD, etc) and make public statements about gay marriage, DADT, etc. I think he didnt blab his sexuality before because he didnt want to be a spokesman or a role model for anyone. And why does he have to be?
MM
“The best thing we can all do is be ourselves in life.”
Priviledged gay people should help or support fight for equal rights, they shoud give back a little.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
I’m much more than just a gay man.
So why did he come out? if it’s not that important to you, why bother talking about it?
@michiko:
And why does he have to be?
Because even in 2010 America, young queers are looking for role models.
adman
Why wouldn’t a panty waste little pipsqueak stand on the shoulders of LGBT giants if and when he can? I mean to think otherwise would mean that blowing one’s own horn was something less than the highest virtue in life! How do you think he made the grade in the first place, silly queers? You people are starting to come across as a little jealous, teehee!
Every now and then a celebrity comes along who reminds me why I typically spend all my time ignoring them in general, and this thing is one of them. Thanks whatever your name is (I forgot) I’m off to experience whatever comes next without you, as are the rest of the LGBT community who catch wind of your stupid BS. You’ve done us all a favor, ask me how I know!
Devon
Oh hey, a Johnny Weir post…
[img]http://x4e.xanga.com/6c7f933b35633274323226/w218693953.gif[/img]
alan brickman
Whiny gays who mistake being gay for a talent will not be role models…nuff said…
Sexy Rexy
Is he done yet?
adman
@alan brickman: Yes, they’re jealous and whiny! AND they think that’s a talent. Heah heah, all and sundry..Her excellence has become a troll, puhlease do take note, and let it be known. Harrrumph. Hack.
kayla
Please for the love of God and all things holy!!!! NO. MORE. WEIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
justiceontherocks
Looks like Devon summed it up perfectly.
DR
about the only thing he’s ever said I agree with. If he doesn’t want to be an activist, such is life.
afrolito
People are just looking for reasons to hate this man. I happen to agree with him on this, and he is not required to do anything but live his own life as he sees fit.
All the “straight acting” gays should be thrilled, since they are ALWAYS projecting their self loathing, and complaining about the nelly gays getting so much media attention.
Hank
A switch for me too in the Johnny said something I can identify with department. Hopefully he’ll follow his own advice or thought process here. Always prefer celebs with private lives as they tend to be the most talented and classy acting anyway. No hawking of surrogate kids or preaching to we peons…
Hank
@MM: Yes, nice if they so choose, but of course should never be a requirement or litmus test…
Tessie Tura
Meredith Vieira is love.
Jesse from Jersey
Well Johnny, since people in society are less likely to try and suppress you for being white, or male. The fact that you are Gay, and lucky enough to be as out as you want to be.
I think that’s something to celebrate.
Zeus
He seems like such a bitch. And it’s funny he’s so against “celebrating” his homosexuality when the only reason he’s so well known all of a sudden is because he basically flaunts his flamboyant nature, which is due to the fact that he is a homosexual.
Pip
lol he’s a gay figure skater so therefore he’s good at pop music and fashion design!
Btboy
Because live in a time where being gay means being discriminated against more so than any other group, especially the other two he mentioned.
and the person posting (again and again) that “career gays” are annoying…you wouldn’t have a blog to post on or the ability TO BE OUT if it were not for the career gays before you who made the advancements possible. The johny’s who want to keep their “gayness private” just want to benefit from all the work of the activisits while shunning everything gay movement.
Sad when hetros care more about our progress than insecure, self loathing, closeted homos. And yes, having sex with men doesn’t mean you’re out when you are IN with everyone else in your life.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Johnny qWeir: I actually felt a bit of outrage that when you were US figure skating ASSociation champion, they refused to post your photo anywhere because you did not “present the proper image” (of a male figure skater!) Memo to Johnny: they did that because they and everyone else knew you are very flamboyantly Gay………….You complained you were never asked to join the Schmuckers figure skating tour. That was because you are very flamboyantly Gay……………..
No one is forcing you to join the cause to end the rampart homphobia out there. But someone who has been the victim of it for years, one would hav thought may have been interested in battling it……….
CarlCA
A gay celebrity certainly doesn’t have to support a cause that effects millions in this country who are treated as second class citizens on a daily basis (including themselves) and they certainly have the RIGHT to make their money, live their lives, and not be charitable in that cause, just as I have the freedom and right to respect them far less for it.
You are given a platform to change lives, help lives, and influence minds in a time when gay youth are killing themselves due to the ugliness of homophobia, and you choose to not only ignore the issue, but come out and phrase it as “why celebrate being gay?”….well, my response as a viewer is, fine, I’ll stop celebrating you period. Your chose yourself before others, and that speaks volumes about your character.
Just as some argue not every gay person who is a celebrity has to support the gay community, well, members of the gay community have just as much right to NOT support them for that decision.
Real Talk
what is stunning here is the only reason he gets any jobs is because…he’s gay. you’d have to be a fool to not know television execs who hire him are not in meeting rooms going “we need a token gay to fill this role, give it to that Weir kid”
He’s made a career being “that gay guy” and wants to take his money and snub the niche that pays his bills. he’s entitled to, and he’s also entitled to be called self revolved, greedy, souless, and heartless, but then again, his love of wearing dead carcass made all those obvious long ago.
Daez
I think we should all breath a sigh of collective relief that he doesn’t want to be an activist. Can you imagine how much he would set the gay movement back. Imagine in an interview when someone asked him if he could change his sexuality and why gay marriage should be legalized and his answer would be, “If I want to marry a woman, I’ll marry a woman, you still won’t see me sleeping with her, but I could marry her.”
I honestly think that any of his “activist friends” would realize this and pretty much beg him never to be an activist.
B
o. 23 · PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS wrote (regarding Weir): “No one is forcing you to join the cause to end the rampart homphobia out there. But someone who has been the victim of it for years, one would hav thought may have been interested in battling it.”
Given the number of hours per day that a national-level figure skater has to spend training and practicing, Weir has a perfectly valid reason for not trying to be a gay-rights spokesperson – lack of time studying the issue to say something intelligent about it.
Being able to jump in the air, spin around N times, and land in balance on ice skates may be incredibly difficult, but pulling that off does not make one an expert on civil rights.
Weir is presumably just following Abraham Lincoln’s advise about speaking on subjects that one is not up on: “it is better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
John
Considering how the gay community dislikes flamboyant gays as being media representation [ like Sean Hayes’ Jack or Carson Kresey ] and the fact that people seem to dislike just how uber gay Weir is, isn’t it a good thing that he isn’t a spoke person?
I mean if someone like say Jake Gyllenhall was gay and acted as masculine as him, I’d be all for him being a gay role model and being up front at LGBT events but exactly how is a male figure skater going to make things better for gay youth?