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Jason Brown Comes Out
- Thread starter ptvvibezz
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Congratulations! Sending u virtual hugs, Jason! Continue to skate with your soul!
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This makes me so happy, and organized so soon after the respective announcements.
(Paul looks a little sleepy
)The support and encouragement that these skaters are getting makes me somewhat hopeful for the future of skating.
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On one hand, good for him to come out. It's not like it's very surprising and certainly doesn't change my impression of him at all.
On the other, it makes me quite sad that these skaters need to make a big deal of this. My ideal would be a world where sexual preferences would be just about as important as a person's eye color for example, but unfortunately that's still far away.
On the other, it makes me quite sad that these skaters need to make a big deal of this. My ideal would be a world where sexual preferences would be just about as important as a person's eye color for example, but unfortunately that's still far away.
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Sadly, that day indeed seems very far away.
The skaters are not making these posts for me, for example, the old straight cis lady who has never done a cross-over in her life. They are doing it primarily for the next generation of skaters, so that they can live their lives with truth and honesty.As Jason said in his message:
I’ve always been shown the beauty in embracing love in every form. I never questioned my own sexuality or even thought much about it because it didn’t matter. I am who I am, and have always been fortunate to be surrounded by people who made me feel like that was enough.
I realize that so many confront a different reality. History hasn’t always been kind, and the fight for equality and acceptance is an ongoing one. There is no doubt that my life’s been enhanced because of the people around me who’ve had the courage to stand up and share a piece of who they are with the world...and for that I say thank you.
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can we not use "sexual preferences" when talking about sexual orientation? It is not a preference, it is part of a person, and one can try to fight it or ignore it but it's there.... it's not like "oh I prefer chicken over fish"
using the term preferences implies that there is a choice to be made.... when the only choice a gay person can make is to accept themselves the way they are ...
using the term preferences implies that there is a choice to be made.... when the only choice a gay person can make is to accept themselves the way they are ...
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I thought he already was "out" but like I have said I am sad that this is even an issue. And I fully support Jason and his beautiful skating. To me it is wonderful skating no matter sexual preference. I hope the world sees that. Now Jason let's add that quad and climb the podiu.
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I can tell you as a long time Jason follower that until this post he was not "out", although some commentators made rude comments based on suppositions.
I'm not sure what you mean by "sad" that it is an issue. It is indeed sad that our LGBTQ brothers and sisters still face discrimination.
It is joyful that more of our skaters feel comfortable living authentically who they are.As to why posts like Jason's can be so important, Adam Rippon said this on Twitter, with a quote tweet of Jason's post:
Reading this makes me tear up
Jason, I am so proud and happy for you. You are light and joy personified. Sharing your story means SO much to me and LGBTQ+ athletes everywhere. Your skating and 
family will be cheering you on in everything you do 
THANK YOU(some emojis omitted.
)
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I am a long time fan of Jason’s and it was a “secret” to me. Until or unless someone chooses to come out, any random fan’s hot take or presumption about a skater’s gender orientation is just that, a hot take.
and I care very much that Jason (and Kaitlyn and Paul) have come out as their authentic selves. And the young skaters who look up to them and are wondering if it is safe to come out care as well. As do their fans and the well wishers in this thread.
yay for all of them
ETA: the skaters that is, although yay for everybody too
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I find these reactions hilarious because it shows you didn't bother reading Jason's post at all, especially that part where he talks about stereotypes being dangerous...
Because it was a secret. Jason has always been very private. He has never given any indication of his sexuality publicly. I had a small hunch, from the very deliberately vague way he always responded to questions about having a girlfriend. But it wasn't public and the public didn't know.
So the only way you could claim that it wasn't a secret, or that you thought he was already out, is because you were relying on stereotypes.
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He never gave any strong public indication of his sexuality.
It's just toxic people attacked him for not having a quad and the fact he had beautiful skating and good freedom on the ice.
He has never had a public dating life, and he has never felt comfortable about coming out - who would when they already experience such a big level of homophobia when they are still in the closet?
Many people who have strict ideas about masculine and feminine "values" often say rude and homophobic things about skaters like Hanyu and Patrick Chan as well as skaters like Johhny Weir and Jason Brown. The latter two were gay, however that doesn't make every skater with flowing skating gay and it is wrong to automatically make that assumption about them - and it's actually a toxic thing that people in the skating community do: whereby many people attack male skaters who are not their view of masculinity (Also happens to female skaters as well - with people attacking Elizebeta Tuktumysheva for not looking or jumping like the other russian girls)
Who cares?
I care. I've always looked up to Jason Brown and been a big fan of his. Him coming out and being accepted by the skating community makes me feel happy and comfortable, that top skaters are able to be their true selves. The fact that I've looked up to him helps me accept myself more, to see somebody who's always inspired me come out makes me feel braver and happier.
I certainly didn't mean for it to sound like I had "stereotypes" in mind. I just thought that everybody knew. My mistake, and I must have misunderstood somewhere along the way.What I do have a problem with though is that everyone assumes that everyone is straight until you are told differently. You never hear of people coming out as "straight", because they don't have to. That is discrimination at its very core. These gay people shouldn't have to "come out" at all. Love is love, and it's bonkers that these things still is an issue.
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What I do have a problem with though is that everyone assumes that everyone is straight until you are told differently. You never hear of people coming out as "straight", because they don't have to. That is discrimination at its very core. These gay people shouldn't have to "come out" at all. Love is love, and it's bonkers that these things still is an issue.
You are quite right that in a perfect world, all things and all people and all love would be equal.
But we don't live in that perfect world. To be honest, for me, saying that gay skaters should not "have" to come out sometimes plays into wishful thinking: that all are treated equally, that all are accepted, that someone's gender identity is just some private matter that doesn't affect day to day life. And we know in today's world that's not true.
So, while we live in a world where everyone is not treated equally, skaters like Kaitlyn, Paul and Jason stating their truth can maybe help us on the path to that goal.
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The strange thing is that in men's figure skating it is the other way about. The default for a male figure skater (or a ballet dancer, or a violin player, an artist of any sort) in the mind of the public, is gay, at least in large swatches of the U.S. You might say that a straight male figure skater is regarded as sort of, well, queer.
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I think that's why many involved in skating end up (outwardly) homophobic because of public viewing figure skating as a gay sport and trying to go against this stereotype and because of remarks they've heard related to figure skating.
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What makes me sad is that the USFSA has created an environment in which gay men don't feel comfortable to come out publicly, often subjecting these athletes to awkward and cringeworthy lines of questioning from the media (i.e. "what do you look for in a girlfriend?"). Brian Boitano, I believe, didn't come out until shortly before the Sochi games, which was decades after he retired from amateur competition. Between allowing young women to be exploited by sexual predators and urging male skaters to remain closeted, the USFSA has done an exceptionally poor job supporting its athletes.
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