Olympic Freeskier Gus Kenworthy comes OUT
It's not easy coming out in the sports world. Â In the world of action sports, where terms like "gay" and "fag" are tossed around with as much careless abandon as "stoked", it can be even more difficult to not only live the life, but have the courage to step up and come out. Â "There's a lot of testosterone in our sport, and those derogatory words get thrown around like crazy," says Canadian freeskier Justin Dorey.
"I want to be the guy who comes out, wins shit and is like, I'm taking names."
But when you pull off the run of... well... all time... and continue to have the best season in all of history (not just his), it gives you not only a bit of well deserved confidence, but also a bit of a safety net. Â If you're about to drop a bomb on the world of action sports, being number one in the world (for the fifth straight year) makes it more difficult for others to kick up a fuss.
Gus' winning run in Park City
The Gay Bomb
To the delight of all of us fellow out skiers and riders, the bomb didn't resonate quite the shockwaves one might have expected.  Gus knew since he was 5, having shared his secret with his family and a few good friends, in the October 2015 issue of ESPN magazine, Gus took the big leap and came out to the world.
Yet, the ever concerned guy tells ESPNÂ "I don't want to make skiing less cool. I hear the snowboarders call us 'skier fags.' And it's frustrating because I'm literally going to live up to that stereotype."
Be sure to read the full article at espn.com
Here's the video:
Gus Gets Puppies
While in Sochi, winning a silver medal for the USA, Gus Kenworthy made international headlines as he rescued 5Â Sochi strays. Â Stray dogs are a significant issue in in the city, one of many that made the 2014 Olympics so controversial, including the more relevant LGBT rights atrocities in Russia. Â But let's just remember the super cute puppies that Gus rescued and brought home. Â A story all the more adorable now that we know a little more about the man.
Apparently the puppy rescue was actually the doing of his hidden away boyfriend, who left him and took the puppies with him a while after they got back home. Â So... all the hugs and support in the world heading your way Gus.