Americas first openly gay male Winter Olympian is also pretty damn funny too.
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Adam Rippon just made U.S. Olympics history.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/ Getty Images.
When the 28 -year-old foremen to South Korea, he’ll be the first frankly gay U.S. male athlete to compete in the Winter Games.
Can he get a inferno yeah ?
Photo by Maddie Meyer/ Getty Images.
Other male LGBTQ competitors have emulated in the winter tournaments in years past — notably, fellow anatomy skaters Johnny Weir and Brian Boitano — but nothing had been open about their sexual orientation heading into the competition.
Rippon may not be alone in sharing the designation either.
Openly gay freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy could make it to Pyeongchang too.
Photo by Tom Pennington/ Getty Images.
Kenworthy, who came out publicly to ESPN in 2015, will find out soon whether he’ll make the cut for South Korea in February. He represented Team USA in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
It the topics that honestly LGBTQ athletes are representing the U.S. on the global stage. And that’s not lost on Rippon.
As he explained to NPR( emphasis added ):
“Growing up, I certainly didn’t have a lot of role models. And I said, if I was ever given the opportunity and the scaffold, I would share my tale . … I don’t actually care what other parties think about me. I’m able to go out there and I’m really able to be, like, unabashedly myself. And I crave somebody who’s young, who’s struggling, who’s not sure if it’s OK if they are themselves to know that it’s OK.”
Rippon isn’t all serious business though.
In fact, he’s often relatively the jokester with his 54,000 Twitter followers.
Wow, still can’t believe that I fabricated the tank surface. pic.twitter.com/ 9BJdigMiYZ
— Adam Rippon (@ Adaripp) December 12, 2017
Whether he’s considering his, er …< em> physical assets…
There’s been a lot questions to whether I compete with butt pads on and I’d like to set the record straight and make it be known that no, it’s exactly my real butt. Thank you for your interest, statements, and apply. Love you.
— Adam Rippon (@ Adaripp) December 9, 2017
What it’s like to be a gay athlete…
I was recently requested in an interview what its like to be a lesbian athlete in boasts. I said that it’s exactly like being a straight athlete. Plenties of hard work but typically done with better see brows.
— Adam Rippon (@ Adaripp) December 28, 2017
Or consuming familial bias to sway the judges…
Heading into the competition tomorrow, I merely demand everyone to know that my mummy judges I’m the best and I genuinely hope the judges take that into consideration.
— Adam Rippon (@ Adaripp) November 9, 2017
Rippon surely isn’t afraid to be himself — in the rink or outside of it.
I’m so proud of myself for how far I’ve come, I love the person or persons I’ve become, and am so excited for what is ahead. My resolutions this year is continually proliferating, take risks, be fearless, and be hotter than ever. Joyful 2018! [?][?] pic.twitter.com/ WOayaqmOEU
— Adam Rippon (@ Adaripp) January 1, 2018
And as if blazing one line wasn’t enough, Rippon’s age is also drawing Olympics history this year.
According to The Washington Post, 28 -year-old Rippon will be the oldest U.S. anatomy skater to make a introduction in video games since 1936.
He’s ready to use his seniority to the team’s advantage when it comes to mentoring fellow Americans Nathan Chen, 18, and Vincent Zhou, 17: “I ever sort of feel like a master or a big brother. I demand the best for the both of them as we foreman into this Olympic Games.”
Nathan Chen( middle-left) and Vincent Zhou( middle-right) is participating in Adam Rippon( right) on Team USA Photo by Matthew Stockman/ Getty Images.
Making headlines for his age may be a bit less exciting than building LGBTQ history. But Rippon’s happy to make light of the activities of the decade of know-how he has over Chen and Zhou. “I’m so excited that my two sons are doing so well, ” he quipped to The Post about his teammates. “I’m honored to be their father.”
The welcoming ceremony to Pyeongchang 2018 is decide for Friday, Feb. 9.
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