Gus Kenworthy Shares His Coming Out Story With PEOPLE

In Coming Out Stories, a new video series from PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly, 16 LGBTQ people from all walks of life share how they opened up to friends, family and the world — and how their lives changed.

Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy looks back on his coming out journey and shares the message he'd love to tell his younger self:

"I think that I would have told that younger person not to be so afraid to let everyone else know that I was gay, because it's been incredible.

"I think if I could have told my younger self, 'Just wait. When you're older you're going to out and proud and you're going to have a boyfriend. And you're going to be so excited to share yourself authentically with the world and it's going to make a difference for other people.'

"I think it would have given that young kid a lot of confidence moving forward."

Gus also explains that, even though he didn't understand the feelings at the time, he probably knew he was gay when he was five years-old.

In lighter moments, Gus describes being in an Uber with a driver asking him "Where are the hot chicks tonight?" The 26-year-old Olympian exults in being able to respond, "Actually, I don't know because I'm gay. Where are the dudes?"

Others sharing their stories include Modern Family actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Grey’s Anatomy actress Sara Ramirez, retired NBA player Jason Collins, social media star Tyler Oakley and Brooke Guinan, a New York City firefighter who is transgender.

PEOPLE and EW partnered with GLSEN, the LGBT advocacy group that fights to make schools safe for all kids, to create Coming Out Stories.

Watch Gus below and then click over to people.com/comingoutstories for more.