Three-time U.S. National Figure Skating
champion John G “Johnny” Weir has come out gay in a new memoir,
in which he says it took him so long because he just doesn't think
much about his sexuality.
Weir's book Welcome to my World
hits bookstores on Tuesday. The Skating with the Stars
celebrity judge kicks off a
book tour at the Columbus Circle Borders Books in Manhattan at 7PM on
Tuesday.
In an interview in this week's issue of
People magazine, Weir said he hopes his story will inspire
young people.
“With people killing themselves and
being scared into the closet, I hope that even just one person can
gain strength from my story,” he said.
He added that he faced pressure from
the gay media to make a statement on his sexuality.
“A lot of the gays got downright
angry about my silence [on being gay]. But pressure is the last
thing that would make me want to 'join' a community.”
In his memoir, the 26-year-old skater
explains that he didn't feel a need a come out.
“People say I'm ashamed of myself for
not talking about my sexuality, but I'm not scared of anyone and I'm
not ashamed of anything that is Johnny Weir. I refuse to be placed
in a box. I think so little of my sex life and my sexual identity
simply because I don't have time to have sex and secondly, because I
don't think it defines who I am. I didn't choose a sexuality just as
I didn't choose to be white.”