Photo: ESPN via Facebook
This morning, the top pro freestyle skier and Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy came out of the closet. The savior of strays took to Facebook to make the announcement:
I am gay.
Wow, it feels good to write those words. For most of my life, I’ve been afraid to embrace that truth about myself. Recently though, I’ve gotten to the point where the pain of holding onto the lie is greater than the fear of letting go, and I’m very proud to finally be letting my guard down.
My sexuality has been something I’ve struggled to come to terms with. I’ve known I was gay since I was a kid but growing up in a town of 2,000 people, a class of 48 kids and then turning pro as an athlete when I was 16, it just wasn’t something I wanted to accept. I pushed my feelings away in the hopes that it was a passing phase but the thought of being found out kept me up at night. I constantly felt anxious, depressed and even suicidal.
Looking back, it’s crazy to see how far I’ve come. For so much of my life I’ve dreaded the day that people would find out I was gay. Now, I couldn’t be more excited to tell you all the truth. Maybe you’ve suspected that truth about me all along, or maybe it comes as a complete shock to you. Either way, it’s important for me to be open and honest with you all. Y’all have supported me through a lot of my highs and lows and I hope you’ll stay by my side as I make this transformation into the genuine me – the me that I’ve always really been.
I am so thankful to ESPN for giving me this opportunity and to Alyssa Roenigk for telling my story to the world. I think about the pain I put myself through by closeting myself for so much of my life and it breaks my heart. If only I knew then what I know now: that the people who love you, who really care about you, will be by your side no matter what; and, that those who aren’t accepting of you are not the people you want or need in your life anyway.
Part of the reason that I had such a difficult time as a kid was that I didn’t know anyone in my position and didn’t have someone to look up to, who’s footsteps I could follow in. I hope to be that person for a younger generation, to model honesty and transparency and to show people that there’s nothing cooler than being yourself and embracing the things that make you unique. Head over to ESPN.com or click the link in my bio to read the full story and keep your eyes peeled for the November issue on newsstands soon!#outinsports #comingout #gay #beyourself #bornthisway
As we learned at Mammoth Mountain —where we sat down with him last winter — he truly is a man among men: “The talented 23-year-old freeskier is keeping his wits about him and his head on straight as he leads the US Freeski team in Slopestyle and Halfpipe. And that isn’t even to mention the four AFP World Championships overall titles under his belt. Yet when you speak with him, there is nothing but honesty and appreciation for his circumstances, as well as respect for his peers. He is the kind of person who reflects and truly considers what he says and, subsequently, how he represents himself — a trait that is rare enough among everyday people, let alone world-class athletes.”
We’re proud for the American from Telluride and are excited to see where this newfound freedom takes him.
Read the entire story on ESPN.
