Olympian Johnny Weir has explained why
he didn't come out gay during his Olympic career.
The 33-year-old Weir confirmed he's gay
in his 2011 autobiography Welcome to My World, which came out
roughly a year after his last Olympic appearance. (Weir had hoped to
compete in 2014 but was unable due to an injury.) Prior to his
memoir, Weir, who has a colorful personality and wardrobe, ignored
persistent rumors about his sexuality.
In a tweet Wednesday, Weir
congratulated figure skater Adam
Rippon and skier Gus
Kenworthy, both of whom are openly gay and appear set to compete
at next month's Winter Olympics.
"Happy that there are
representatives of the LGBTQ community competing at the Olympic
Games. Notably, @guskenworthy, @Adaripp & several more. I never
'came out' in sport because being gay was something born in me &
had nothing to do with my skating. I never came out as white,” Weir
tweeted.
Weir deleted the tweet after several
users accused him of being “tone deaf,” then he announced
that he would expand on this thoughts over several tweets.
“I am so thrilled that there are out
representatives of the LGBTQ community competing at the Olympic
Games. Notably @guskenworthy & @Adaripp among others. It is
very brave for all of us to live our truths whether on the global
stage or in our own homes,” Weir tweeted.
“Because of the attention on those
athletes, many of you have written or tweeted because I am not
referred to as 'out' at either of my Olympics and in the traditional
sense I wasn't.”
“I wear my sexuality the same as I
wear my sex or my skin color. It is something that simply is and
something I was born into. I never 'came out' in sport because I
didn’t imagine it as a great secret & it had nothing to do with
my skating or my dreams.”
“I was extremely lucky to grow up in
a family/community of acceptance and perhaps that’s why I don’t
see my sexuality as something that needs addressing. I am forever
indebted however, to the warriors who came before me that allow me to
lead the life I do so openly.”
“Many of you got upset last night
when I tried to finish that thought in one tweet so I thought it
needed clarification. I’ve got a busy day ahead so excuse me while
I lotion...,” he added.
Weir is headed to Pyeongchang, South
Korea for the Winter Olympics as an NBC commentator on figure
skating.