Gus Kenworthy Agrees With US Figure Skater Adam Rippon On VP Mike Pence's Olympic Role

Gus Kenworthy qualifies for 2018 Winter Olympics

Out Olympic athlete Gus Kenworthy has responded to fellow Team USA Olympian, figure skater Adam Rippon, who recently questioned the wisdom of Vice President Pence leading the Olympic delagation into the 2018 Winter Games.

Pence has a notoriously anti-LGBT history as governor of Indiana and a congressman.

From LGBTQ Nation:

“I actually found out about it from Adam Rippon’s quote about it,” he told USA Today. “I feel the same way as him. I think it’s not the person I would have expected, and I think it sends mixed messages because this is the first time we’re seeing out U.S. Olympic athletes competing in the Winter Olympics, and then we have someone leading the delegation that doesn’t support that, and doesn’t support the LGBT community, and has spoken against it. I think it doesn’t send the right message. It’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.”

“I think that I’ve gotten to live authentically and share who I really am with my family and friends. It’s made me feel so comfortable,” he said. “I think that it’s showcased in my skiing. I feel so free and liberated and it’s one last thing I have to think about, about being in the closet and worrying about outing myself. My skiing has benefited from that, from being free.”

“The fact that I am out, I think it’s going to warrant me having a better time in Korea, and really getting to experience it,” he added. “When you’re in the closet, you can’t enjoy anything quite as much. I don’t think I had the Olympics experience I was hoping for, and now that I’m out, I’m going to really take it all in and have such a better time.”

Kenworthy has become the face of gay US Olympians having come out in 2015 after winning a silver medal at the 2014 Sochi Games.

He will be competing in his second Olympic games in slopestyle skiing.