Gus Kenworthy On Mike Pence Leading Olympic Delegation: 'Doesn't Send Right Message'

By
On Top Magazine Staff
| January 26, 2018

In a new interview with USA Today's sports blog For the Win, skier Gus Kenworthy talks about how his life has changed since coming out gay.

At the 2014 Sochi Games, Kenworthy took home a silver medal. A few months later, he announced his sexuality in an ESPN the Magazine cover story.

The 25-year-old Kenworthy is one of just a handful of out athletes heading to next month's Olympic Winter Games in South Korea.

Kenworthy was asked to weigh in on the White House's selection of Vice President Mike Pence to lead the 2018 U.S. Olympic delegation to South Korea.

“I think it’s not the person I would have expected, and I think it sends mixed messages because this is the first time we’re seeing out U.S. Olympic athletes competing in the Winter Olympics, and then we have someone leading the delegation that doesn’t support that, and doesn’t support the LGBT community, and has spoken against it,” Kenworthy said. “I think it doesn’t send the right message. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.”

When asked how his life has changed since coming out, Kenworthy answered: “My life has changed and it hasn’t! In some ways, I feel like it’s a completely different life, and I get to just be myself. In other ways, nothing’s changed. I’m still going to the same ski competitions. Still hanging out with a lot of my same friends, and my family’s so great. I think that I’ve gotten to live authentically, and share who I really am with my family and friends. It’s made me feel so comfortable. I think that it’s showcased in my skiing. I feel so free and liberated and it’s one last thing I have to think about, about being in the closet and worrying about outing myself. My skiing has benefited from that, from being free.”