I have vivid memories of being a little girl and watching the Olympics with my mom. She always loved figure skating, and at the 1988 Olympics in Calgary, I remember how everyone had hyped up Brian Boitano. I don’t really remember watching his particular gold-medal winning routine – that part of my memory has been washed away (because I’m old). But I remember the feeling of Brian Boitano’s victory, and how Americans loved this sweet ice skater who triple-lutzed his way into history. In the years that followed, Boitano managed to gracefully retain a cult-like celebrity, especially when Trey Parker and Matt Stone devoted so much South Park love to him. Brian now lives in San Francisco, writing cookbooks, hanging out with friends and family, doing cooking show specials and generally being a cool guy.
Well, Boitano is in the news again. A few days ago, Pres. Obama finally announced the members of the official American delegation to the Sochi Olympics. Pres. Obama will not be in attendance, and neither will VPOTUS, FLOTUS or Dr. Jill Biden. Instead, Pres. Obama is doing a not-so-subtle “screw you” move to Pres. Putin and the gay-hating Russian government. Our American delegation to Sochi includes iconic tennis champion Billie Jean King (lesbian and LGBT activist), Caitlin Cahow (hockey playing medalist and lesbian) and Brian Boitano. When I heard Boitano’s name, I was all “HUZZAH, take that Putin! We have a gold medal winning ice skating champion who is gay to boot!” But you know what I never realized before now? Brian Boitano never really “came out” publicly. For real. He’s just doing this now.
Brian Boitano is finally out and proud! the Olympic figure skating gold medalist came out as gay on Thursday, Dec. 19 in a statement.
“I am many things: a son, a brother, and uncle, a friend, an athlete, a cook, an author, and being gay is just one part of who I am,” Boitano, 50, said in his statement released to Us Weekly.
The announcement makes Boitano the third openly gay athlete named by President Obama to the official, 10-person, U.S. delegation to the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The former champ joins tennis legend Billie Jean King and women’s ice hockey payer Caitlin Cahow in representing America’s LGBT community overseas during the sporting event. It is assumed that Obama is sending a symbolic message of protest to host country Russia; He told Jay Leno back in August that he had “no patience” for its controversial, anti-gay propaganda law.
“It is my desire to be defined by my achievements and my contributions,” said Boitano, who has competed in three different Olympics (1984, 1988, 1994). “While I am proud to play a public role in representing the American Olympic Delegation as a former Olympic athlete, I have always reserved my private life for my family and friends and will continue to do so.”
“First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance,” he expressed. “As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations.”
70-year-old King’s significance following her athletic career is a story of activism: She was the first female professional athlete to announce she was gay back in 1981. Cahow, meanwhile, is a two-time Olympic hockey medalist. Other delegates appointed to the U.S. Olympic committee includes former Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano and former speedskater Bonnie Blair.
President Obama, meanwhile, will not attend the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and neither will wife Michelle Obama nor Vice President Joe Biden. His decision mimics that of other world leaders including German President Joachim Gauck and French counterpart Francois Hollande.
Well… sure, okay. Good for him! I don’t think anyone is going to have a problem with this because, seriously, everyone has known he’s gay for years. He never flaunted it and never lied about it, but I guess I thought he acknowledged it decades ago? Still, better late than never. And how dramatic for him to issue a public “coming out” statement just a day after being named to the American delegation to Sochi.
Also: I love the way Pres. Obama is handling the Sochi situation. Some people thought America should boycott the Sochi Olympics because of the anti-gay legislation, but it was clear that boycotting was never seriously under consideration. So, if we were going to participate, let’s make it the splashiest, most rainbow-flag-waving moment ever. That’s what Brian Boitano would do.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
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