Skater Brian Boitano comes out as third gay member of U.S. Sochi delegation

[highplainsdem]

Source: Washington Post

Brian Boitano -- a gold-medal-winning figure skater and member of the U.S. delegation to the Sochi Winter Olympics -- announced Thursday he is gay, making him the third gay member of the delegation to travel in February to Russia.

The 50-year-old Boitano, who has deflected questions about his sexuality in the past, said in a statement Thursday that “being gay is just one part of who I am.” On Tuesday President Obama named Boitano to the delegation along with Billie Jean King and Caitlin Cahow, two openly lesbian star athletes.

“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 said in a statement published by USA Today. “First and foremost I am an American athlete and I am proud to live in a country that encourages diversity, openness and tolerance. As an athlete, I hope we can remain focused on the Olympic spirit which celebrates achievement in sport by peoples of all nations.”

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/12/19/skater-brian-boitano-comes-out-as-third-gay-member-of-u-s-sochi-delegation/

[gtar100]

1. Now there is a man with class.

Something haters worldwide lack.

[sendero]

15. +1000 n/t

[WilliamPitt]

2. What Would Brian Boitano Do?

[Katashi_itto]

3. Damn! you beat me to it!!

[FiveGoodMen]

10. First thing I thought of as well!

[awoke_in_2003]

23. I bet he'd kick an ass or two...

can't see video at work, but that is probably what you posted.

[WilliamPitt]

24. Oh yeah.

[47of74]

25. Damn. You and several other people beat me to it!

[Skittles]

55. that's a very catchy tune!

[Tikki]

4. Why do we care about people's sex life? Until we start off each day asking everyone the question….

'What kind of sex did you have yesterday and with whom?"…we need to shut up and realize
that we already know this is a privacy thing…

Again, why would anybody care about another's sex life?

Tikki

[geek tragedy]

6. You may not realize how offensive that is, but coming out is more than one's 'sex life.' nt

[Mika]

7. I almost NEVER agree with you on anything - except this.

[geek tragedy]

9. *hugs* nt

[grantcart]

17. "God I hate it when people start agreeing and becoming friends this close to Christmas"

Do you know how much time I waste updating the f%ing 'Naughty or Nice List'?

[Mika]

18. LOL. I'm sure we'll be back to arguing soon. Just had to point out my agreement w/this.

So, don't go updating that list too soon.

[grantcart]

20. Santa says "Fuck it your both on the 'Nice' list and I don't care what your do.

All bad acts will be added to the 2014 ledger.

[geek tragedy]

35. Does this mean Belsnickel won't beat me with a switch? nt

[dlwickham]

52. if you ask nicely, maybe he will

[Tikki]

12. I did not, I am sorry …I just know I see people and the last thing I think about is their sex life.

If someone came out to me I would listen, but I wouldn't ask questions about their sex life…about them…yes.

I just don't think about people's sex life.


Tikki

[geek tragedy]

13. Brian Boitano is discussing who he is, not his sex life. Just like stating that one

is heterosexual is not discussing one's sex life.

[riqster]

34. I was single for a lot of years.

(Hard to believe, I know. )

So my being straight had nothing to do with my sex life, since I had no sex life at the time. QED.

[LeftyMom]

27. He's saying who he loves, not how he bones them.

"I like dudes" is an orientation. "I like when dudes *redacted* my *redacted*" is telling about one's sex life.

[riqster]

33. Perfect!

[madrchsod]

8. i do`t but other people do.

those other people pass laws restricting certain people`s rights. they discriminate against certain people in their everyday life.

[dickthegrouch]

11. For all those utterly isolated

Growing up, I lived in a village of 600 people and went to a school with 400 boys between the ages of 11 and 18. I was the only gay person I knew. There was plenty of evidence of other gay people from the lists of people accused and/or convicted of "gross indecency" in the newspaper every Monday. I had no-one to talk to, no-one to look up to and no-one to advise me. I contemplated suicide twice and ran away from home once. Knowing someone else was actually prepared to be public with their homosexuality would have been of inestimable benefit to my formative years.

I first met a self-assured gay man when I was 19. Even though I started the Student Gay Society three months later, it was more of a shock tactic to force myself to comfort than a political statement. I remained the only out gay person in my school of 60% engineers until I graduated, although I am heartened that the GaySoc still exists there some 30 years later.

It is crucial that people in isolated communities have someone to be able to look up to. Putin is busily isolating every gay person in Russia. Having out prominent Gays such as Elton John, Ian McKellen, Brian Boitano, Billie Jean King and many more standing up to this foolishness is going to be of great comfort to many who are afraid to speak for themselves. Knowing you aren't the only one is the first stage to self-actualization. Forming or joining a support group is the second for many.

When one is marginalized and hated, even in one's own family sometimes, for what is the most natural thing in the world to you, is devastating and confusing. Knowing others are around who feel the same way can be life-saving.

[pnwmom]

14. You could only say this as a member of the "default" group.

You expect everyone to automatically assume you're straight.

[valerief]

40. I'm more interested in how gay people cope with the hate. I really don't care about the sex at all.

[ehrnst]

56. Being Gay is no more just about one's "sex life" than being married is.

I think that the idea of being gay offends people who are scared of many other things - the world turning out differently than they thought.

Someone coming out as gay is more akin to saying that you are in a mixed race relationship - in the early 70's.

Silence = death when it comes to being gay.

[madrchsod]

5. maybe obama remembers what happened to jessie owens after he won those medals.

then the olympics in mexico. one of the statements from olympics will be equality for everyone .

[DinahMoeHum]

16. These upcoming Games are asking for a Tommie Smith/John Carlos

gesture on the podium.

[KamaAina]

19. This is news?

I could have sworn I saw him and his partner on teevee after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. They had just finished building their dream home in San Francisco's Marina District, which was heavily damaged because it is built on landfill.

[anasv]

21. me too

I thought this was public long before now.

[XemaSab]

28. srs

[Diego_Native 2012]

32. Me too.

If Boitano's orientation was still a secret, it was the worst kept secret I've ever seen. And it matters not one bit. Incredible skater and athlete.

[KamaAina]

37. Welcome to DU!

[KamaAina]

22. From FB: "All eyes now turn to Janet Napolitano."

[Voice for Peace]

31. yup

[BadGimp]

26. To no ones surprise

[yurbud]

29. wasn't he already out?

[SoapBox]

38. That was what everyone at work yesterday said

"...we already knew that. You must be reading something old."

Sorry Brian...the world already knew.

[yurbud]

41. maybe we are all homophobes for assuming that a guy who dances on ice skates wearing a sequined

leotard is gay.

I for one, apologize for assuming that.

[Pterodactyl]

47. That's what I thought.

[Voice for Peace]

30. this must be driving the RW crazy.. USA represented by so many beautiful gay people

[toby jo]

36. I saw Caitlin on a talk show - incredibly well spoken. Class just rolls off her

great choice.

And good on Brian, too.

[Hekate]

39. All of these fine American athletes are being sent by Pres. Obama to make a very clear statement...

... to Putin and the rest of the world. They don't need to say one word about LGBT issues while there, not even a breath that would put them in danger from Russia's foul laws -- just their presence and the fact that our president is sending them will say it all.

Go Team USA! I am so proud.

[dipsydoodle]

46. Does he pick the Olympics team for the summer Olympics too ?

I don't think works it like that in any other countries.

[joshcryer]

48. I don't see anything in the bylaws that 'allows' him to.

But absolutely and obviously the Olympic delegation is something the Head of State has to sign off on. Typically the President himself is there. This will be the first time a President or VP or Presidential Family head doesn't attend since 1988. If anything that's the bigger snub, choosing Janet Napolitano over Biden, or even better, Michelle since she's been pushing good diet and exercise.

What's interesting is in the transcript Obama doesn't actually say he picked them individually:

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. What was the message you were trying to send with not only your decision not to attend the Sochi games, but also with the people you named to the delegation to represent the United States at those games?

OBAMA: Well, first of all, I haven't attended the Olympics in the past, and I suspect that, you know -- you know, me attending Olympics, particularly at a time when we have got all of the stuff that people have been talking about is gonna be tough.

Although I would love to do it.

I'll the going to a lot of Olympic games post-presidency.

(laughter)

OBAMA: I think the delegation speaks for itself. You got outstanding Americans, outstanding athletes; people who who will represent us extraordinarily well.

And, you know, the fact that we have got folks like Billie Jean King or Brian Boitano who themselves have been world-class athletes that everybody acknowledges for their excellence, but also for their character, who also happen to be members of the LGBT community, you should take that for -- for what it's worth, that when it comes to the Olympics and athletic performance, we do not make distinctions on the basis of sexual orientation. We judge people on how they perform, both on the court, and off the court, on the field, and off the field.

And that is a value that I think is at the heart of not just America, but American sports.

That last part would actually quite literally reflect the USOC Mission Statement 2.1...

It's all being carefully handled, of course.

[dipsydoodle]

49. Well in the UK

team members are picked solely of their level of excellence in their sport. Not for any other reason. I'm sure that's the case in most other countries too.

[joshcryer]

50. So only the highest medal winners?

No change up from year to year? I think the delegation is very representative of some of the highest moments in American Olympic history.

[beac]

53. I think you are misunderstanding the word "delegation."

Boitano and the others will not be competing. They will be there as figurehead representatives of the US in the stands, not as participating athletes.

This quote from a PBS article explains why this is a doubly strong statement by Obama and the US (i.e. both sending gay former athletes and declining to send senior members of the administration and/or the first lady):

On other fronts, the 2014 delegation appears to be a step back from previous years, when the U.S. sent top-level administration officials to represent the U.S. at the Olympic ceremonies. First lady Michelle Obama led the delegation to the London Games in 2012, while Vice President Joe Biden headed the effort in 2010 in Vancouver. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/12/obama-selects-gay-athletes-for-sochi-olympic-delegation.html

[Hekate]

54. I'm referring to the Delegation, who represent the US in a diplomatic capacity. They're not....

... performing the athletic feats which made them famous in the first place, unless I missed something.

[yurbud]

42. maybe he just came out of the DELEGATION closet

[yurbud]

43. I suppose next Harvey Fierstein is going to admit he's gay.

[cliffordu]

44. Kool. The sooner we erase the scourge of

hatred, the sooner we ALL live like human beings.

And that is worth it.

[catbyte]

45. Finally! Glad he did it.

[PM Martin]

51. Obama is right to send them to Russia.

Dare that SOB Putin to arrest an official delegation at Olympics.