In a new interview with BuzzFeed News,
Olympian Gus Kenworthy says he lived in perpetual fear of outing
himself.
The 24-year-old British-born American
freestyle skier won the silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in
Sochi, Russia.
He came out gay last month in a cover
story for ESPN Magazine.
“It's been a crazy couple of weeks
since the cover came out,” Kenworthy said. “It hasn't really
been as shocking, maybe, as people thought it was going to be? I
feel like it has been really comfortable, allowing me to be who I
want to be and be who I always have been. I think I kind of lived in
a perpetual fear of outing myself – always making sure I was doing
the right thing to stay in the closet and keep people from wondering
or assuming anything that I wasn't ready to let them know.”
When asked for advice on coming out,
Kenworthy said he tells kids who reach out to him that “it does get
better.”
“I know that sounds crazy,”
Kenworthy
said. “It’s really difficult being in the closet. It’s not
fun. It’s really scary, and really emotional, and it’s kind of
traumatic. I want to encourage kids absolutely to be themselves and
embrace that part of themselves, but I also don’t think it’s my
place – or anybody’s place – to tell someone when they should
come out or how they should come out. I think it’s really a
personal thing, a personal journey.”