Menu</tle><path d="M8 10h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2zm0 5h16v2H8v-2z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></button><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk jzsPnJ StandardNavigatnDrawerBookmarkAlert-irmtYV pYBCk" data-ttid="BookmarkAlertMobile" role="tooltip"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye jhXzHd alert-arrow"></div><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertInWrapper-iHNVmf ctTYj"><svg class="in in-bookmark in-bookmark--activated" width="24" height="24" viewBox="-0.5 -9 10 32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Story Saved</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-checkmark" fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M0 0h9.588v14.345L4.794 11.46 0 14.345V0z" fill="#fff"></path><path class="in-bookmark--activated-checkmark-stroke" d="M2 6.5L3.364 8 7 4" stroke="#000000"></path></svg></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm URaUs WFuCG alert-msage"><span class="AlertDangeroBookmarkMsage-yzlJS jkHbqc"><p>To revist this article, vis My Profile, then <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a>.</p></span></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ myRoN keapKe button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div></div><div class="StandardNavigatnSectnLogo-bghSeq iBbdW"><a href="/" data-ttid="Logo" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM StandardNavigatnLogoLk-bfpyLL iUEiRd kIEUAJ cqQizV jYKccq"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset StandardNavigatnLogoImage-kyNDxs jVwXYs"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa StandardNavigatnLogoImage-kyNDxs jVwXYs rponsive-image"><img alt="Vani" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/vany-fair/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div><div class="StandardNavigatnSectnUtilyLks-ecAXBS kWiCZx"><div class="standard-navigatn-acunt standard-navigatn__sectn--utily-lks-log"><div class="AlertWrapper-gvFATk jzsPnJ AcuntDropdownBookmarkAlert-gjKEYt jsfpOb" data-ttid="BookmarkAlertDktop" role="tooltip"><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertArrow-daOgye jhXzHd alert-arrow"></div><div aria-hidn="te" role="prentatn" class="AlertInWrapper-iHNVmf ctTYj"><svg class="in in-bookmark in-bookmark--activated" width="24" height="24" viewBox="-0.5 -9 10 32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Story Saved</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill in-bookmark--activated-checkmark" fill-le="evenodd" clip-le="evenodd" d="M0 0h9.588v14.345L4.794 11.46 0 14.345V0z" fill="#fff"></path><path class="in-bookmark--activated-checkmark-stroke" d="M2 6.5L3.364 8 7 4" stroke="#000000"></path></svg></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ AlertMsage-jgAjgo bVCFRm URaUs WFuCG alert-msage"><span class="AlertDangeroBookmarkMsage-yzlJS jkHbqc"><p>To revist this article, vis My Profile, then <a href="/acunt/saved">View saved stori</a>.</p></span></div><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ myRoN keapKe button button--utily close-alert-button" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" role="button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Close Alert</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-close" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><path d="M16 14.586l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414L17.414 16l6.364 6.364-1.414 1.414L16 17.414l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414L14.586 16 8.222 9.636l1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div><a href="/th/iate?redirectURL=%2Fstyle%2F2018%2F02%2Fadam-rippon-gay-olympic-athlet&source=VERSO_NAVIGATION" rel="nofollow" data-ttid="signIn" class="StandardNavigatnAcuntLabel-pyqL bjCnJx">Sign In</a></div><nav aria-label="Utily" class="NavigatnWrapper-bFftAs fKSZRK StandardNavigatnNavUtilyLks-bnFfCi ixxmNg" data-ttid="navigatn"><ul class="NavigatnListWrapper-gWXLVS eMPBBw navigatn__list" data-ttid="navigatn__list"></ul></nav><span class="NavigatnDivir-fEDnwq ixXXMs navigatn__divir"></span><div class="StandardNavigatnConsumerMarketgUnWrapper-iemhjj dZqPLK"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-dialog" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-dialog"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-cta" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-cta"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-rollover" role="prentatn"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-rollover"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--nav-gift" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--nav-gift"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><a href="/search" aria-label="Search" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ myRoN kFJcrS button button--utily StandardNavigatnSearchButton-bhoYY ksBNxZ" data-event-click="{"element":"Button","outgogURL":"/search"}" data-ttid="Button" type=""><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label">Search</span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-search" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns=" data-ttid="inSearch"><tle>Search</tle><path d="M14.5 10a4.5 4.5 0 1 0 0 9 4.5 4.5 0 0 0 0-9zm5.249 8.335l4.458 4.458-1.414 1.414-4.458-4.458a6.5 6.5 0 1 1 1.414-1.414z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></a></hear><div aria-hidn="te" class="StandardNavigatnPrimaryLks-hsfnqT eaOiYu"><ul><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/news/polics">Polics</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/news/bs">Bs</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/hollywood">Hollywood</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/style">Style</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/culture">Culture</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/style/royals">Royals</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/style/celebry">Celebry</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/vio">Vio</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/podsts">Podsts</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href=">Archive</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href=">VF Shop</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/hollywood/what-is-cema">What Is Cema?</a></li></ul></div><div aria-hidn="te" class="StandardNavigatnSendaryLks-UJYFF giBLkc"><ul><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/newsletters">Newsletters</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href=">Archive</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href=">VF Shop</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/london">VF London</a></li><li><a aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" href="/magaze">Magaze</a></li></ul></div></div><div class="PersistentBottomWrapper-eddooY bIieWF persistent-bottom" data-journey-hook="persistent-bottom"><asi class="PaywallBarWrapper-hbEokK kqItQt paywall-bar"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut paywall-bar__nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-bar-ll-to-actn"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><div class="StickyHeroAdWrapper-eNLJUc gStsdY ad-stickyhero ad-stickyhero--standard ad-stickyhero-enable-mobile should-hold-space"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--hero"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--hero" data-no-id="4eou7"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-hero" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-hero"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="ContentHearWrapper-clujbs hksevn ntent-hear article__ntent-hear"><div data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp ikebRK"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT bUmLnT"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX iJOI bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Olympics 2018</span></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd fvFcxp gydgrM">The Btersweet Bety of Adam Rippon</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ fYeNbg">How much an out gay Olympian uld mean to a kid now—or to a 34-year-old who’s been wag for his whole life.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 80w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 90w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH jqYyWD byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd kIEUAJ lddgzd eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/richard-lawson">Richard Lawson</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2018-02-12T16:39:19-05:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd bSlZUC cmPkTr">Febary 12, 2018</time></div></div></div></div><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP dDDxdb lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc Grck" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz khOFmf"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Clothg Sleeve Apparel Sport Sports Dance Pose and Leisure Activi" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE kIXbGQ ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN gFWya-d"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd hCJFDV fNaHcW ptn__cred">by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Imag</span></div></div></figure></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN diFyUH article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div class="ActnBarWrapperComponent-cjwxLS bEeSLb"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh izlawS viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU foKBbl bookmark large-screen"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-stroke" d="M11.7661 16.3228L4.5 20.1695V3.5H19.5V20.1695L12.2339 16.3228L12 16.199L11.7661 16.3228Z" stroke-lep="square"/></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd kdAzed gkccfO">Save</span></button></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh ledqMp viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU ePWKOF bookmark mobile"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-stroke" d="M11.7661 16.3228L4.5 20.1695V3.5H19.5V20.1695L12.2339 16.3228L12 16.199L11.7661 16.3228Z" stroke-lep="square"/></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd kdAzed gkccfO">Save</span></button></div></div></div><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eOdfIs"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa jPgqnR body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="has-dropp">I fell love wh the Olympics, particularly wh figure skatg, when I was eight years old. It was 1992, and om faraway Albertville, France, I was troduced to <strong>Kristi Yamaguchi</strong> and <strong>Nancy Kerrigan,</strong> two Amerin ice prcs who both medaled that year, pturg the hearts of lns and burrowg to my nscns like perhaps nothg but <em>The Ltle Mermaid</em> had up to that pot.</p><p>My 10-year-old sister was to too, but not que the same arnt way. Luckily, I had a iend, a bt iend, really—I’ll ll him Ryan—who unrstood what all meant to me, bee meant as much to him. We spent what I remember beg a whole wter cidg which skater was our favore (only the women, never the men; even at that age, there was somethg perhaps <em>too</em> trigug about them) and glidg around on his hardwood livg-room floor our socks—pretendg to do triple axels and salchows, awkwardly mimickg Kerrigan’s beguilg sps—two silly ltle boys wh an appreciatn for the graceful thgs this rough world.</p><p class="paywall">By the time the Lillehammer gam 1994 arrived (how spoiled we were to have them only two years apart!), wh all their <strong>Tonya Hardg</strong> drama, Ryan and I had drifted apart, as is the natural downward arc of a iendship when you don’t go to the same school or live the same town. Ours, I always supposed, had jt been a iendship of nvenience, until wasn’t. What remaed was my love of Olympic figure skatg, and I watched rapt every four years. My hman year of llege, my new iends (all girls) thought I was sane—but also maybe a ltle fun—when I cried bter tears at <strong>Michelle Kwan’s</strong> geo <a href=">“Fields of Gold” exhibn skate</a>, after she’d fished a disappotg third. Over the years, Olympic ice skatg offered me an outlet for big feelgs, the way other sports might do for other men, I suppose.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">Anyway, I got olr. Time passed. I me out, had a few fumblg romanc wh guys, and I began my adult life. I would sometim, ually around Olympics time, wax mdl to other iends about Ryan and our skatg obssn that wter long ago. Perhaps spurred on by one of those reveri, a few years ago I tracked Ryan down on Facebook. I saw that he lived Los Angel, and, like me, was a wrer. And I saw that, que unlike me, he was vastatgly handsome—a llege soccer jock-turned-weekend outdoorsman, wh the rippled ame and chiseled featur to match.</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="l9kpk"></div></div><p class="paywall">Wh some batn of cursy and jealons, I reached out—told him I’d be town for a work thg a uple months, and would he maybe like to get a drk. He agreed and we met—even more handsome person, but still the fox-faced boy I remember at eight years old—and over the urse of a uple of drks, I learned that he is gay too. I was surprised, and told him as much. He replied, “Surprised? Richard, we ed to do figure-skatg rout my livg room.” So he remembered too!</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall">Last summer I took some iends up to my parents’ hoe Rho Island, and on the first night, my mother and I were upstairs, makg up the fold-out uch for one of the guts. I n’t remember how we got on the topic, but somehow Ryan me up. She asked if he was married and I said—as if this was an answer to her qutn—that, no, he was gay. My mom stopped tendg to the bedsheets and looked up at me. “You’re kiddg,” she said. “He’s gay? And to thk his father said you two uldn’t see each other anymore bee he thought <em>you</em> were gay.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">I was shocked, and asked my mom a few qutns about —was the thkg that I, at eight years old, was turng Ryan gay? Had I asked why I sudnly didn’t see my bt iend anymore?—but then jt kd of bshed off and head back to the weekend wh my iends, to a life where I try to not et too much over stuff that did or didn’t happen a quarter century ago. But over time, that ltle sual reveal—that Ryan and I had not naturally drifted apart, as I’d long thought—began to wear at me. In the months sce, ’s ma me so sad for ltle me and ltle him—gay boys who were unaware of the mechanisms loomg over them, who did not know they’d been spoken about, had been nsired for their difference already.</p><p class="has-dropp paywall">I thought of Ryan on Sunday night, when figure skater <strong>Adam Rippon</strong> ma <a href=">his grand Olympic but</a>—old, at 28 (ugh), for a first-time Olympian, but so many other ways brand new. He’s the first openly gay Amerin athlete to qualify for the Wter Olympics (<a href=">out gay skier</a> <strong>G Kenworthy</strong> peted his first Olympics while still the closet), and has been playfully unabashed about his sexualy, on and off the ice. I’d been aware of Rippon, perhaps pafully so, for a uple of years, but had not really grappled wh what he might <em>mean</em> until his skate the team event on Sunday, a Twter-trendg righteo moment that felt like a high achievement before the sr even me . (The Amerins eventually earned a bronze medal.)</p><p class="paywall">Perhaps the timg was jt right for Rippon, wh Ameri mired dispirg polil disaster and roilg social anim. Prr to the gam, Rippon voiced disapproval of Vice Print <strong>Mike Pence</strong>—who would be attendg the openg ceremoni and planned to meet wh the U.S. team—turng Rippon to somethg of a polil hero. (Of urse, Rippon enjoys a certa level of protectn that polilly outspoken athlet of lor, like <strong>Col Kaepernick,</strong> do not.) And then he went and did his route, a soft-spoken, elegant program set to Coldplay mic (yup!), more fluid and lite and, y, effemate, than the boy skaters are supposed to be. Here was a man beg himself, at the peak of his abili, on an ternatnal stage, hailed as a hero. And everyone knew he was gay!</p><p class="paywall">Everyone knew <strong>Johnny Weir</strong> was gay back 2006 and 2010, when his loud stum and queeny souciance were the foc of much Olympic chatter. But he didn’t say until later; there was always a guardns about him, a tease. Weir was a mentator last night durg Rippon’s skate, and I thought I heard a ltle tch his voice, some note of regret. Maybe that was me projectg, but I’d have to image that someone like Rippon—so siar except one ccial way—might give Weir pse, make him thk about his own Olympic past, and wonr what if.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="v947n"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-1519"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt hBHzvB">Most Popular</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cOtZkL summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw fmFsSj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Our Flag Means Death Season 2: Exclive First Look" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM fPFrPI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ eahXIh summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed"><em>Our Flag Means Death</em> Season 2: Exclive First Look</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Sarah Catherall</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cOtZkL summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw fmFsSj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Geia Republins Say They'll Move to Remove Fulton County DA Fani Willis From Office Wh New State Law" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM fPFrPI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ eahXIh summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Geia Republins Say They'll Move to Remove Fulton County DA Fani Willis From Office Wh New State Law</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Eric Lutz</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cOtZkL summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw fmFsSj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="How Mk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and Andresen&-Four Billnaire Techno-Oligarchs&-Are Creatg an Alternate, Autocratic Realy" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM fPFrPI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ eahXIh summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">How Mk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and Andresen—Four Billnaire Techno-Oligarchs—Are Creatg an Alternate, Autocratic Realy</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Jonathan Tapl</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw a-dziD ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="8xbhk5d"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs eAuebe"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="265qgr"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa jPgqnR body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall">I spect that Rippon has that effect on lots of people—that mix of excement and melancholy. He certaly do on me. Have I mentned yet that Adam Rippon is geo? Like, chiseled by an ancient (and fely gay) Greek sculptor wh a lovg hand, mmerizgly symmetril wh ey that glow like jewels. He’s absurd, really. It hurts to look at Adam Rippon, but the <em>doulr exquise</em> way, the good kd of hurt—the kd that ach to be wh him, that ach to <em>be</em> him.</p><p class="paywall">That’s a feelg perhaps uniquely particular to the gay experience, the muddied nfn over whether you want to be someone’s pann or if you want to step si their sk, to hab the world as they do. Watchg Rippon have his triumphant moment on Sunday night—and give a funny, ank terview afterward—I felt the kd of yearng for a celebry that I haven’t felt sce I was 17, half my life ago. How strange to experience that while watchg <em>sports,</em> an area of culture I’m ually pretty alienated om unls ’s Olympics time. Sure there have been plenty of swimmers and gymnasts and whomever else to lt after Olympics past, but Rippon is somethg else—a sassy bean of hope, a gay angel sent to light and, sure, sadn a ltle wh all his distant bety and poise.</p><p class="paywall">I felt this as a 34-year-old, and then realized how much more acutely the Adam Rippon of all mt sweetly stg for a wi-eyed kid. The effive reactn to Rippon shows how very important reprentatn n be, jt as <em>Black Panther</em> will when arriv movie theaters this week. It matters to a child—and to an adult—to, y, see some reflectn of themselv. But also to have the faraway hero, the almost impossible ials. Maybe those unreachable gods somehow help clarify thgs here on Earth.</p><p class="paywall">If I, at eight, or 10, or 14 (oh god, 14), had seen Adam Rippon all his swanng, proud splendor, and everyone appldg him for , would have stroyed me—but also rema me. It would have said somethg to me that I rarely ever heard said. How much time young queer people spend yearng for that kd of nnectn, forever siftg through culture to fd the gay stuff. When you fd , n speak to you almost holy ton. On Sunday night, there was gay stuff, and swishy gay stuff to boot, right there on natnal TV, for anyone who wanted : powerful and acplished and betiful.</p><p class="paywall">Watchg Rippon’s program, and all the subsequent fervor, I let myself drift back to my socked-foot skatg days. I wonred if Ryan watched the broadst, and what he might have thought about . I entertaed a btersweet fantasy, wishg that we were kids now, watchg Rippon’s big skate together, maybe not aware of what exactly we were seeg, but posssed of that ternal <em>knowg,</em> that regnn of same, that to rm so much of gay life. The new sadns that bloomed me last summer, when I learned the te history of me and Ryan, was pound, but a strange way also healed, on Sunday night. How often, ways petty and profound, the world tri to tamp down what Adam Rippon so wondroly, nfintly exud on that ice. And how terrific that so many kids may have seen and loved and then gone skatg around their own livg rooms, maybe feelg a ltle eer than before.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="cktu9p"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-1520"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt hBHzvB">Most Popular</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cOtZkL summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw fmFsSj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Our Flag Means Death Season 2: Exclive First Look" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM fPFrPI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ eahXIh summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed"><em>Our Flag Means Death</em> Season 2: Exclive First Look</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Sarah Catherall</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cOtZkL summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw fmFsSj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Geia Republins Say They'll Move to Remove Fulton County DA Fani Willis From Office Wh New State Law" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM fPFrPI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ eahXIh summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Geia Republins Say They'll Move to Remove Fulton County DA Fani Willis From Office Wh New State Law</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Eric Lutz</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cOtZkL summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw fmFsSj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="How Mk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and Andresen&-Four Billnaire Techno-Oligarchs&-Are Creatg an Alternate, Autocratic Realy" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent summary-em__ntent--no-bric"><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM fPFrPI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ eahXIh summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">How Mk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and Andresen—Four Billnaire Techno-Oligarchs—Are Creatg an Alternate, Autocratic Realy</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Jonathan Tapl</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw a-dziD ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="db3jli"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs eAuebe"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="1w6sq"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa jPgqnR body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div class="GalleryEmbedWrapper-llMpjF eNSLoK gallery-embed"><hr class="GalleryEmbedHr-dXMdzM fCNcvb gallery-embed__hr"/><h2 class="GalleryEmbedTle-iikSZu hMfoep">The Bt Sights at the 2018 Olympics Openg Ceremony</h2><span class="GalleryEmbedSwipe-IABKO lhOVav" style="touch-actn:none"><ul style="transform:translate(0px, 0)" class="GalleryEmbedSliList-koIlkn jiZeeK"><li class="GalleryEmbedSliListItem-fKJGAO iJdYaZ"><div class="GallerySliWrapper-yxPsh kubsDs" data-event-boundary="click" data--view="{"pattern":"GallerySli","variatn":"GallerySli.ItemCenterNoCaptn"}" data-event-click="{"pattern":"GallerySli","variatn":"GallerySli.ItemCenterNoCaptn"}" orientatn="landspe" data-ttid="GallerySliWrapper"><figure class="GallerySliFigure-jhDfjI bGQGmP"><div orientatn="landspe" class="GallerySliAssetWrapper-jGbftJ jqUBFt"><div class="GallerySliAssetContaer-hwdsAZ gNfA-dy"><div class="GallerySliAssetContaerInner-BTnef fyLCFI"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset GallerySliRponsiveAsset-bXKMLC lluiXZ GallerySliRponsiveAsset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa GallerySliRponsiveAsset-bXKMLC lluiXZ GallerySliRponsiveAsset rponsive-image"><img alt="Image may nta Stage Human Person Mirai Nagasu and Lightg" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></div></div></div></figure></div></li><li class="GalleryEmbedSliListItem-fKJGAO iJdYaZ"><div class="GallerySliWrapper-yxPsh kubsDs" data-event-boundary="click" data--view="{"pattern":"GallerySli","variatn":"GallerySli.ItemCenterNoCaptn"}" data-event-click="{"pattern":"GallerySli","variatn":"GallerySli.ItemCenterNoCaptn"}" orientatn="landspe" data-ttid="GallerySliWrapper"><figure class="GallerySliFigure-jhDfjI bGQGmP"><div orientatn="landspe" class="GallerySliAssetWrapper-jGbftJ jqUBFt"><div class="GallerySliAssetContaer-hwdsAZ gNfA-dy"><div class="GallerySliAssetContaerInner-BTnef fyLCFI"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset GallerySliRponsiveAsset-bXKMLC lluiXZ GallerySliRponsiveAsset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa GallerySliRponsiveAsset-bXKMLC lluiXZ GallerySliRponsiveAsset rponsive-image"><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Crowd Marchg Stage and People" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></div></div></div></figure></div></li><li class="GalleryEmbedSliListItem-fKJGAO iJdYaZ"><div class="GallerySliWrapper-yxPsh kubsDs" data-event-boundary="click" data--view="{"pattern":"GallerySli","variatn":"GallerySli.ItemCenterNoCaptn"}" data-event-click="{"pattern":"GallerySli","variatn":"GallerySli.ItemCenterNoCaptn"}" orientatn="landspe" data-ttid="GallerySliWrapper"><figure class="GallerySliFigure-jhDfjI bGQGmP"><div orientatn="landspe" class="GallerySliAssetWrapper-jGbftJ jqUBFt"><div class="GallerySliAssetContaer-hwdsAZ gNfA-dy"><div class="GallerySliAssetContaerInner-BTnef fyLCFI"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset GallerySliRponsiveAsset-bXKMLC lluiXZ GallerySliRponsiveAsset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa GallerySliRponsiveAsset-bXKMLC lluiXZ GallerySliRponsiveAsset rponsive-image"><img alt="Image may nta Human Person Footwear Clothg Apparel Shoe Electronics and Computer" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></div></div></div></figure></div></li></ul></span><div class="GalleryEmbedControlsStyl-dHFqsy bfpTGb"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ GalleryEmbedControlsCounter-cTFhZe iUEiRd kQnVrq iyyCZU"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ GalleryEmbedControlsCounterInx-KxYYM iUEiRd kQnVrq">1 </span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ GalleryEmbedControlsCounterCount-hjjCXF iUEiRd gzwPoR">/ 18</span></span><div role="prentatn" class="GalleryEmbedControlsController-bemMMG kAIVAh"><button aria-label="gallery-back" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ myRoN keapKe button button--utily GalleryEmbedControlsButton-dA-dlPo eETzkR" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" disabled="" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label"></span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-chevron" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Chevron</tle><path d="M19.071 16L12 8.929l1.414-1.414L21.9 16l-8.485 8.485L12 23.071z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button><button aria-label="gallery-forward" class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ myRoN keapKe button button--utily GalleryEmbedControlsButton-dA-dlPo etkzyZ" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="button"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN bBWXSg button__label"></span><div class="ButtonInWrapper-gFdzAL bPDyTT button__in-ntaer"><svg class="ButtonIn-YqaGo iwlhuX button-in in in-chevron" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Chevron</tle><path d="M19.071 16L12 8.929l1.414-1.414L21.9 16l-8.485 8.485L12 23.071z" fill-le="nonzero"></path></svg></div></button></div></div><figptn class="GalleryEmbedCaptnWrapper-eUYjyD cYOJII"><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ GalleryEmbedCred-fLWDcf bVluTY cmnJOb cLAnWT">By Qun Rooney/Getty Imag.</div></figptn><hr class="GalleryEmbedHr-dXMdzM fCNcvb gallery-embed__hr"/></div></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="zq0mv"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div class="ContentFooterContributorSpotlightWrapper-jglHff edmTAt"><sectn data-ttid="ContributorSpotlightContaer" class="ContributorSpotlightContaer-ccVxgz fwlOPD"><div class="ContributorSpotlightInnerContaer-elBox jSvXVx"><div class="ContributorSpotlightSgleColumn-idLiJU goRdaE"><sectn class="ContributorSpotlightSummaryGrid-jZdHDE hJMn"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK hvFIAc grid grid-ems-2 ContributorSpotlightMaSectnGrid-kYVLYK gpZeIC"><div class="GridItem-buujkM eHLzLy grid--em"><div class="ContributorHearWrapper-cMHleS bnIcwz"><div class="ContributorGrid-fKcSKO fnuDrA"><div class="ContributorHearContent-gJdnVA cyzBPN"><div class="ContributorDenseHearWrapper-gwHjlj GZJVT"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContributorLogo-dFyyNF eiPDIw"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContributorLogo-dFyyNF eiPDIw rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 80w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 90w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContributorNameAndTleWrapper-jlSeaF ifAFdg"><h1 data-ttid="ContributorHearName" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContributorHearName-fNrWXe iUEiRd cSfQOi iBGpGc">Richard Lawson</h1><h2 class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContributorHearTle-kiBYJJ iUEiRd cSfQOi gglfXw">Chief Cric</h2></div></div><div data-ttid="ContributorHearB" class="ContributorHearB-etClMZ kLUMCd"><a href="/ntributor/richard-lawson">Richard Lawson</a> is the chief cric at <em>Vany Fair,</em> reviewg film, televisn, and theater. He is a member of the New York Film Crics Circle and the Natnal Society of Film Crics. Richard’s novel, <em>All We Can Do Is Wa,</em> was published by Pengu Random Hoe 2018. You n... <a href="/ntributor/richard-lawson">Read more</a></div><a href="/ntributor/richard-lawson" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ContributorHearSeeMoreLk-iRIKOz iUEiRd bJVYxx UDwfc gkcXuI">See More By Richard Lawson <!-- -->»</a></div></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM eHLzLy grid--em"></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"></div></div></sectn></div></div></sectn></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"></div></div></div><div data-ttid="ContentFooterBottom" class="ContentFooterBottom-jwWZfC kcbyiW"><div class="ContentFooterNewsletterContentWrapper-bmjtna kixtae"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormWrapper-fCqqkN jKSBhE newsletter-subscribe-form ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf"><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormHedDekWrapper-fpMElW eglIBL"><h3 class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDangeroHed-kRwWjt hTNNFb newsletter-subscribe-form__hed ContentFooterNewsletterForm-hKeYwa liPqcf">Royal Watch</h3><div class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDek-kXonvc ermzvy newsletter-subscribe-form__k">Get the latt chatter, om Kensgton Palace and beyond, straight to your box.</div></div><div data-ttid="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormInputsWrapper-keARJE hVWbzr"><form class="form-wh-validatn NewsletterSubscribeFormValidatn-iCYa-Dt dweEln" id="newsletter" name="newsletter" novalidate="" method="POST"><span class="TextFieldWrapper-Pzdqp gNKtty text-field" data-ttid="TextFieldWrapper__email"><label class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ TextFieldLabel-klrYvg iUEiRd cSfQOi cTMFks text-field__label text-field__label--sgle-le" for="newsletter-text-field-email" data-ttid="TextFieldLabel__email"><div class="TextFieldLabelText-cvvxBl kCvBtA">Enter your e-mail addrs</div><div class="TextFieldInputContaer-jcMPhb oFrOs"><put type="email" aria-scribedby="privacy-text" aria-valid="false" id="newsletter-text-field-email" required="" name="email" placeholr="Your e-mail addrs" class="BaseInput-fAzTdK TextFieldControlInput-eFUxkf eGzzTT jFGvbE text-field__ntrol text-field__ntrol--put" data-ttid="TextFieldInput__email"/></div></label><button class="BaseButton-bLlsy ButtonWrapper-xCepQ myRoN jSoEpn button button--utily TextFieldButton-csBrgY edxbrw" data-event-click="{"element":"Button"}" data-ttid="Button" type="subm"><span class="ButtonLabel-cjAuJN hzwRuG button__label">Sign Up</span></button></span><div id="privacy-text" tabx="-1" class="NewsletterSubscribeFormDisclaimer-bTVtiV biUYnf"><span><p>By signg up you agree to our <a href=">User Agreement</a> and <a href=">Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement</a>.</p></span></div></form></div></div></div></div></div><div class="ntent-bottom-anchor"></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="recirc-list-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan ContentFooterRelated-kEBiFe kVUuwq"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 SummaryCollectnGridComponent-ktyEog bdTTVU summary-llectn-grid RecircListDefltOverlaySummaryCollectnGrid-AHJhY bEaXiL recirc-list__ems summary-llectn-grid--four-lumns summary-llectn-grid--TextBelowLeft"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><div class="SummaryCollectnGridContent-eVUpRm gOErDJ"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq gZGsZC SummaryCollectnGridSectnTle-fCmYwG izjbVn" data-ttid="SectnTle"><hear class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa ktpdQe jttyjJ">Read More</hear></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridItems-DZShR iWpCgr hi-read-more-ad" data-ttid="SummaryCollectnGridItems"><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm hVWwVd" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Pl Newman and Joanne Woodward’s Dghters Appreciated the “Fuck Hut” Detail Too" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX hXRWeY bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Hollywood</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cxlTHI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ ftwpZG summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Pl Newman and Joanne Woodward’s Dghters Appreciated the “Fuck Hut” Detail Too</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd ijSOpT jDyfzW summary-em__k">“I have to adm I read that and I was like, Go mom,” lghs Clea Newman Sorlund, speakg about her father’s posthumo memoir, <em>The Extraordary Life of an Ordary Man</em>. </div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Julie Miller</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm hVWwVd" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="“Maybe It Wasn’t Vlent, but It Was Rape”: Constance Wu Is Ready to Tell Her Story" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX hXRWeY bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Movi</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cxlTHI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ ftwpZG summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">“Maybe It Wasn’t Vlent, but It Was Rape”: Constance Wu Is Ready to Tell Her Story</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd ijSOpT jDyfzW summary-em__k">When she was her 20s, the star of <em>Crazy Rich Asians</em> was raped. In this powerful excerpt om her memoir, <em>Makg a Scene,</em> she wonrs why took her so long to regnize that.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Constance Wu</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm hVWwVd" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Insi Ivanka Tmp and Jared Khner’s Gild Florida Paradise&-Far From Donald Tmp or 2024" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX hXRWeY bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">News</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cxlTHI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ ftwpZG summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Insi Ivanka Tmp and Jared Khner’s Gild Florida Paradise—Far From Donald Tmp or 2024</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd ijSOpT jDyfzW summary-em__k">Chaos lgers at the periphery, but the Tmp-Khner marriage is thrivg exile. Pbull is a pal, Carbone is for dner, and <em>Game of Thron</em> is only a TV show.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Ey Jane Fox</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm hVWwVd ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="lw2cpd"></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm hVWwVd" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Plan, Tras and Automobil at 35: An Oral History of One of the Most Beloved Road Movi Ever Ma" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX hXRWeY bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Movi</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cxlTHI summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ ftwpZG summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed"><em>Plan, Tras and Automobil</em> at 35: An Oral History of One of the Most Beloved Road Movi Ever Ma</div></div></div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd ijSOpT jDyfzW summary-em__k">Starrg Steve Mart and John Candy, the John Hugh road trip edy had a nearly four-hour ntime at one pot. Hear om st, crew, and Hugh' fay about the classic. </div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY gRtaxp summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH iNSiTG byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bIbWCO gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Jason Bailey</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="tjcjwv"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--cm-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan BasePageSeFooterRow-kpEBGH jqlJed"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 BasePageSeFooterRowGrid-iBGjXL zQNeb"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><footer class="SeFooterWrapper-bXjkRY bwIeHh se-footer--wh-store"><div class="SeFooterGridNoMargs-jSrXSj kdlxBX" data-ttid="SeFooterGridNoMargs"><div class="SeFooterBrandInfo-cdoqKy cdkwFG"><div class="SeFooterLogo-eYlNHY eigdAF se-footer__logo"><a href="/"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn se-footer__rponsive-image rponsive-image"><img alt="Vany Fair" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="/verso/static/vany-fair/assets/" srcSet="" siz="100vw"/></picture></span></a></div><div data-ttid="SeFooterAbout" class="SeFooterAbout-lflfWa XEKOX"><div class="SeFooterAboutText-XXKBX blTbmF"></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV hwdgCG social-ins social-ins--footer SeFooterSocialIns-cLAKVY pJQob"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA gBoIvv social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--facebook social-ins__list-em--footer"><a aria-label="Follow on Facebook" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU bjORTK social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--facebook" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-facebook" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Facebook

rippon gay athlete

Rippon spoke up about a pervasive problem both the world of male figure skatg and the gay male muny: eatg disorrs.

Contents:

ADAM {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}FIGURE SKATER ADAM RIPPON BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN MAN TO QUALIFY FOR THE WTER OLYMPICS WH HIS SELECTN TO THE U.S. TEAM FOR THE 2018 PYEONGCHANG {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}BY TIM {DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: SEP 29, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1989-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS ADAM RIPPON?ADAM RIPPON DISPLAYED IMMENSE EARLY PROMISE AS A FIGURE SKATER WH BACK-TO-BACK WS AT THE WORLD JUNR CHAMPNSHIPS. HE MISSED OUT ON BERTHS WH THE U.S. TEAMS FOR THE 2010 AND 2014 WTER OLYMPICS BUT REGAED HIS STANDG THE SPORT WH A W AT THE 2016 U.S. NATNAL CHAMPNSHIPS. IN 2018, RIPPON BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN MAN TO QUALIFY FOR THE WTER OLYMPICS, WHERE HE WON A BRONZE MEDAL AND EMERGED AS A FAN FAVORE.EARLY LIFERIPPON WAS BORN ON NOVEMBER 11, 1989, SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA. DISVERED TO BE NEARLY AF, HE UNRWENT RRECTIVE EAR SURGERY BEFORE HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY.RIPPON'S PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN HE WAS 13, AND HE HAS NOTED THAT HE IS NOT CLOSE WH HIS FATHER. THE OLST OF SIX CHILDREN, RIPPON WAS RAISED THE BLUE-LLAR TOWN OF CLARKS SUMM, AN ENVIRONMENT NOT ALWAYS WELG TO A BOY G TO GRIPS WH HIS HOMOSEXUALY. HIS MOM, KELLY, A FORMER DANCER AND SKATG ENTHIAST, TRIED TO AX HIM ONTO THE ICE; IALLY RISTANT, HE CHANGED HIS MD AFTER JOG IENDS FOR AN ICE-SKATG THEMED BIRTHDAY PARTY.WH MONTHS, KELLY WAS MAKG THE TWO-HOUR-PL TRIP TO PHILALPHIA TWICE PER WEEK FOR HER OLST SON'S LSONS. AT AGE 11, RIPPON WAS CHOSEN TO PORTRAY A YOUNG {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}STT HATON A STARS ON ICE REVUE, HIS FIRST EXPOSURE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF SKATG BEFORE AN APPRECIATIVE CROWD.SKATG CAREERRIPPON'S REER GOT OFF TO A VERY PROMISG START WHEN HE WON THE 2007 JUNR GRAND PRIX FAL TLE AND FOLLOWED BY BEG THE FIRST MALE TO W BACK-TO-BACK WORLD JUNR TL, 2008 AND 2009. HE HOPED TO LEVERAGE THAT MOMENTUM TO A SPOT ON THE U.S. TEAM FOR THE 2010 VANUVER OLYMPICS BUT END UP BEG SELECTED AS AN ALTERNATE.A SILVER MEDALIST AT THE 2012 NATNALS, RIPPON MOVED TO LOS ANGEL THAT YEAR TO BEG TRAG WH NOTED ACH RAFAEL ATUNIAN. HOWEVER, HE SUFFERED ONE OF THE BIGGT SETBACKS OF HIS REER WH AN EIGHTH-PLACE FISH AT THE 2014 NATNALS, DASHG ANY HOP OF NSIRATN FOR THE SOCHI GAM. DPONNT, RIPPON NSIRED QUTG SKATG, BEFORE REKDLG HIS LOVE FOR THE SPORT BY CHOREOGRAPHG ROUT FOR FELLOW SKATERS ASHLEY WAGNER AND MIRAI NAGASU.RIPPON BOUNCED BACK TO GRAB ANOTHER SILVER AT THE 2015 NATNALS, BEFORE WNG HIS FIRST U.S. TLE 2016. A ACTURED FOOT PREVENTED HIM OM FENDG HIS TLE 2017, BUT HE RETURNED LATER THE YEAR TO EARN SILVER BOTH OF HIS GRAND PRIX EVENTS.AT THE 2018 NATNALS, RIPPON FELL ON HIS OPENG JUMP OF THE LONG PROGRAM AND FISHED FOURTH PLACE. HOWEVER, HE WAS GIVEN CRED FOR HIS OVERALL BODY OF WORK FOR THE SEASON AND CHOSEN FOR ONE OF THE THREE SPOTS ON THE U.S. MEN'S TEAM, ALONGSI NATHAN CHEN AND VCENT ZHOU, GIVG HIM HIS LONG-AWAED OLYMPIC OPPORTUNY.GAY OLYMPIANWH HIS SELECTN TO THE U.S. OLYMPIC MEN'S FIGURE SKATG TEAM JANUARY 2018, ADAM RIPPON, WHO REVEALED HIS SEXUALY THE OCTOBER 2015 ISSUE OF SKATG, BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE WTER OLYMPICS.RIPPON WAS NOT THE ONLY ACKNOWLEDGED GAY ATHLETE AT THE PYEONGCHANG GAM; HE WAS JOED ON THE U.S. SQUAD BY CELEBRATED SKIER G KENWORTHY, THOUGH KENWORTHY'S SEXUALY WAS STILL A SECRET WHEN HE WON HIS SILVER MEDAL AT THE 2014 SOCHI GAM. ADDNALLY, SKATG ANALYST JOHNNY WEIR WAS MORED TO BE GAY DURG HIS DAYS AS AN ACTIVE PETOR, THOUGH HE REMAED TIGHT-LIPPED ON THE SUBJECT UNR THE SPOTLIGHT OF THE 2006 AND 2010 GAM.2018 OLYMPIC PERFORMANCERIPPON MA ADDNAL HISTORY WH HIS OLYMPIC BUT FEBARY 2018, BEG THE OLST FIRST-TIME OLYMPIAN TO REPRENT THE U.S. FIGURE SKATG SCE GEE HILL 1936.COMPETG THE MEN'S EE SKATE, RIPPON LIVERED A FLAWLS PERFORMANCE CHOREOGRAPHED TO COLDPLAY'S "O" AND THE CEMATIC ORCHTRA'S "ARRIVAL OF THE BIRDS," THE LATTER CHOSEN TO REPRENT HIS RECENT EBACK OM A ACTURED ANKLE. ALTHOUGH HIS FANS QUTNED WHY HE ONLY PLACED THIRD THE EVENT — BEHD TWO OTHER SKATERS WHO FELL WHILE ATTEMPTG DIFFICULT MOV — HIS PERFORMANCE WAS STILL GOOD ENOUGH HELP THE U.S. W THE BRONZE MEDAL THE TEAM EVENT.LATER, RIPPON AGA DAZZLED THE CROWD WH HIS CLEAN PERFORMANC THE SHORT AND LONG PROGRAMS OF THE DIVIDUAL MEN'S SKATE. WHILE THE LACK OF QUAD JUMPS HIS REPERTOIRE MA HIM A LONG SHOT TO MEDAL, HE STILL FISHED A RPECTABLE 10TH PLACE, WHILE EMERGG AS ONE OF THE FAN FAVOR OF THE GAM.'DANCG WH THE STARS'IN APRIL 2018, WAS ANNOUNCED THAT RIPPON WAS JOG THE ST OF A SHORTENED N OF DANCG WH THE STARS: ATHLET. PAIRED WH JENNA JOHNSON, HE WAS TO PETE AGAST FELLOW 2018 OLYMPIANS LIKE MIRAI NAGASU AND JAMIE ANRSON, AS WELL AS NOTOR FORMER FIGURE SKATG CHAMPN TONYA HARDG. RIPPON AND JOHNSON WON THE PETN ON MAY 21, 2018.RIPPON ON INSTAGRAM AND TWTERRIPPON FOUND HIS SOCIAL MEDIA FAN BASE GROWG AS HIS PROFILE CREASED THE DAYS LEADG UP TO THE OLYMPICS. NEVER SHY ABOUT FLNTG HIS PHYSIQUE, HE HAS ED INSTAGRAM TO POST SHIRTLS PICS, ALONG WH THOSE FEATURG HIM POSG WH U.S. TEAMMAT.TWTER, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS PROVID A FOM FOR THE SKATER TO SHOW OFF HIS SHARP SENSE OF HUMOR, WHETHER 'S PLAYFUL BANTER WH THE LIK OF REE WHERSPOON OR POKG FUN AT HIMSELF FOR G TEETH WHENERS. HE'S ALSO ED THE PLATFORM TO ADDRS THE HATERS HIS OWN DISTCT WAY. FOLLOWG HIS OLYMPIC BUT, HE WROTE: "TO ALL THOSE WHO TWEET AT ME SAYG THAT THEY 'HOPE I FAIL', I HAVE FAILED MANY TIM MANY TIM MY LIFE. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I'VE LEARNED OM EVERY SETBACK, PROUDLY OWN UP TO MY MISTAK, GROWN OM DISAPPOTMENTS, AND NOW I'M A GLAMAZON BCH READY FOR THE NWAY." CLASH WH MIKE PENCETHE PUBLIC GOT S FIRST TASTE OF RIPPON'S OUTSPOKENNS MID-JANUARY 2018, WHEN HE WAS ASKED BY USA TODAY TO MENT ON THE SELECTN OF U.S. VICE PRINT MIKE PENCE AS HEAD OF THE 2018 U.S. OLYMPIC LEGATN TO SOUTH KOREA. "YOU MEAN MIKE PENCE, THE SAME MIKE PENCE THAT FUND GAY NVERSN THERAPY? I’M NOT BUYG ," SAID THE SKATER.RIPPON WAS REFERRG TO A PENCE MPAIGN WEBSE OM 2000 WHICH SAID THAT ROURC SHOULD BE "DIRECTED TOWARD THOSE STUTNS WHICH PROVI ASSISTANCE TO THOSE SEEKG TO CHANGE THEIR SEXUAL BEHAVR." THE VP'S OFFICE SISTED THAT THE PASSAGE WAS REFERRG TO THE PRACTICE OF SAFE SEX, AND PENCE SOUGHT TO PLAY DOWN THE NTROVERSY BY TWEETG HIS SUPPORT OF RIPPON. HE ALSO REPORTEDLY ATTEMPTED TO MEET WH THE SKATER, THOUGH HE NIED DOG SO AFTER RIPPON REBUFFED THE OFFER.RIPPON LATER SAID THAT HE DIDN'T WANT HIS "OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE BEG ABOUT MIKE PENCE" AND SAID HE WOULD NSIR MEETG WH THE VP AT ANOTHER TIME. HOWEVER, HE ALSO FANNED THE POLIL FLAM BY SAYG HE WOULDN'T JO THE RT OF THE U.S. TEAM FOR S TRADNAL VIS THE WHE HOE TO MEET PRINT DONALD TMP AT THE NCLN OF THE {--DATA-EMBED-DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;CLEAR:BOTH;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;WIDTH:100%;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{WIDTH:100%;MARG:0 TO 0.9375REM;}} A SPAN{RIGHT:1REM;} IMG{WIDTH:TO;HEIGHT:85VH;} A{DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;POSN:VAR(--POSN, RELATIVE);} IMG:NOT(.EWCW41W1){DISPLAY:BLOCK;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;-WEBK-ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;-MS-FLEX-EM-ALIGN:FLEX-START;ALIGN-SELF:FLEX-START;}{WIDTH:100%;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-LE-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-LE-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:LE-FLEX;-WEBK-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;-MS-FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;FLEX-DIRECTN:LUMN;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 20REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 30REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 40.625REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;}}{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: ADAM RIPPONBIRTH YEAR: 1989BIRTH DATE: NOVEMBER 11, 1989BIRTH STATE: PENNSYLVANIABIRTH CY: SCRANTONGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: FIGURE SKATER ADAM RIPPON BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN MAN TO QUALIFY FOR THE WTER OLYMPICS WH HIS SELECTN TO THE U.S. TEAM FOR THE 2018 PYEONGCHANG GAM.ASTROLOGIL SIGN: SRPINTERTG FACTSADAM RIPPON UNRWENT EAR SURGERY BEFORE HIS FIRST BIRTHDAY TO RRECT HEARG PROBLEMS.IN 2018, ADAM RIPPON BEME THE OLST FIRST-TIME OLYMPIAN TO REPRENT THE U.S. FIGURE SKATG SCE 1936.FACT CHECK

Figure skater Adam Rippon beme the first openly gay Amerin man to qualify for the Wter Olympics wh his selectn to the U.S. team for the 2018 PyeongChang Gam. * rippon gay athlete *

In 2018, Rippon beme the first openly gay Amerin man to qualify for the Wter Olympics, where he won a bronze medal and emerged as a fan LifeRippon was born on November 11, 1989, Scranton, Pennsylvania. The olst of six children, Rippon was raised the blue-llar town of Clarks Summ, an environment not always welg to a boy g to grips wh his homosexualy.

RIPPON'S BODY IMAGE MENTS HIGHLIGHT HIDN STGGLE AMONG GAY MEN

* rippon gay athlete *

Olympic men's figure skatg team January 2018, Adam Rippon, who revealed his sexualy the October 2015 issue of Skatg, beme the first openly gay Amerin athlete to qualify for the Wter was not the only acknowledged gay athlete at the PyeongChang Gam; he was joed on the U.

OPENLY GAY FIGURE SKATER MAK U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM AND HISTORY

Adam Rippon was ‘Ameri’s Sweetheart’ the 2018 Wter Olympics. The gay athlete has bee a hero. * rippon gay athlete *

Addnally, skatg analyst Johnny Weir was mored to be gay durg his days as an active petor, though he remaed tight-lipped on the subject unr the spotlight of the 2006 and 2010 Gam. Team for s tradnal vis the Whe Hoe to meet Print Donald Tmp at the ncln of the FACTSName: Adam RipponBirth Year: 1989Birth date: November 11, 1989Birth State: PennsylvaniaBirth Cy: ScrantonGenr: MaleBt Known For: Figure skater Adam Rippon beme the first openly gay Amerin man to qualify for the Wter Olympics wh his selectn to the U. The newly mted Olympic bronze medalist has talked about the importance of LGBTQ reprentatn at the Wter Gam, and he has publicly sparred wh Vice Print Mike Pence over Pence’s alleged support of so-lled gay nversn week, Rippon spoke up about another issue, one that has reportedly been an open secret the world of male figure skatg and a pervasive problem the gay male muny: eatg skater Adam Rippon speaks durg a prs nference on Febary 13, 2018 Pyeongchang, South Graythen / Getty ImagIn an terview wh The New York Tim, Rippon, who is openly gay, spoke about body issu the world of sports and the prsure he felt to be th orr to appeal to the judg.

ADAM RIPPON IS U.S.'S FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO QUALIFY FOR WTER OLYMPICS

Adam Rippon has qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang Gam, makg him the first openly gay U.S. athlete to ever qualify for the Wter Olympics. * rippon gay athlete *

”While Rippon, who is openly gay, spoke specifilly about body issu the world of sports, his ments highlighted the often overlooked subject of eatg disorrs and body-image issu men, particularly gay men. The anizatn also found gay men stggle disproportnately wh body image issu and eatg disorrs: Though they are thought to make up jt 5 percent of the natnal male populatn, gay men acunt for 42 percent of men who report havg an eatg disorr.

OBJECTIFICATION“What you often fd is gay men report to feelg objectified often the same way that women do, ” Renee Engeln, a profsor of psychology at Northwtern Universy, told NBC News. ”Engeln add that gay men, like other margalized muni, are more likely to suffer om “mory strs, ” the add psychologil burn of social stigma and discrimatn.

ADAM RIPPON ADORG PARENTS & FAY! OPENLY GAY ATHLETE ROMANTIC DATG LIFE

The Uned Stat has never sent an openly gay male athlete to the Wter Olympics. In Pyeongchang this year, Team USA may have two. * rippon gay athlete *

”SHAME AND GUILTTroy Rons, a reprentative for NEDA and an openly gay man who has stggled wh body dysmorphia and anorexia, noted that men, both gay and straight, are ls likely to seek help for an eatg disorr.

”“If beg vulnerable is a threat to manhood, beg vulnerable and havg the same issue as women is a double h, ” she and Engeln both speculated, however, that gay men may be more likely than straight men to disclose their stggle wh an eatg disorr. This, they said, uld partially expla NEDA's fdgs that gay men acunt for more than 40 percent of men who report havg an eatg said that his se, he ed rtricted eatg to exercise ntrol over his life and to project strength.

”Rippon, who has cheekily labeled himself "Ameri's sweetheart, " has bee a bean of nfince and strength for many gay men, thanks to his Olympic medal-wng performance on the ice and his penchant for snappy jok.

ADAM RIPPON IS ALLOWG AMERI TO LOVE A (REALLY) GAY ATHLETE

Olympian Adam Rippon, the first openly gay athlete to be named to a U.S. Wter Olympic Team, discs old age, Twter jok, and Mike Pence. * rippon gay athlete *

Gay Olympic medalist figure skater Adam Rippon displays his ual charm and poise the face of clickba. Rippon, the openly gay figure skater who won over Ameri at the Wter Olympics, has retired om petn.

Amerin figure skater Adam Rippon has qualified for the 2018 Pyeongchang Gam, makg him the first openly gay U.

IS ADAM RIPPON GAY? WHY THE U.S. OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATER DECLED TO MEET WH MIKE PENCE

Is Adam Rippon gay? Many are wonrg why he cled a meetg wh the U.S. Vice Print—we’ve got the sop here! * rippon gay athlete *

The 28-year-old Olympics rookie will be joed South Korea by fellow Amerin figure skaters Vcent Zhou, 17, and Nathan Chen, may also be, acrdg to rearch nducted by LGBTQ sports se Outsports, "the first publicly out gay man ever selected to a Wter Olympics team om any untry any sport. "I was recently asked an terview what s like to be a gay athlete sports, " he tweeted.

"While an openly gay man has never peted for Team USA the Wter Olympics, a few have peted durg the Summer Gam, but the list is short — very short.

WHO IS ADAM RIPPON, THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN MAN TO QUALIFY FOR WTER OLYMPICS?

After Adam Rippon beme the first openly gay U.S. athlete to w a Wter Olympics medal, he's g his platform to take on issu he r about. * rippon gay athlete *

Then there was openly gay diver Patrick Jefey, who peted the 1996 Olympic Gam 2016 R Olympics had a rerd of 56 publicly out LGBTQ athlet petg, ne of them Amerin, acrdg to Outsports. Adam Rippon, a 28-year-old figure skater, will be the first openly gay man to pete for the Uned Stat the Wter Olympics.

A third gay athlete, luger John Fennell, had also been vyg for a spot on Team USA, but a sled malfunctn slashed his chance at qualifyg December.

Hasn't sent an openly gay man to the Summer Olympics 14 years — sce equtrians Robert Dover and Guenter Seil peted 2004.

THE BTERSWEET BETY OF ADAM RIPPONHOW MUCH AN OUT GAY OLYMPIAN ULD MEAN TO A KID NOW—OR TO A 34-YEAR-OLD WHO’S BEEN WAG FOR HIS WHOLE LIFE.BY RICHARD LAWSONFEBARY 12, 2018BY DEAN MOUHTAROPOULOS/GETTY IMAGSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEI FELL LOVE WH THE OLYMPICS, PARTICULARLY WH FIGURE SKATG, WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD. IT WAS 1992, AND OM FARAWAY ALBERTVILLE, FRANCE, I WAS TRODUCED TO KRISTI YAMAGUCHI AND NANCY KERRIGAN, TWO AMERIN ICE PRCS WHO BOTH MEDALED THAT YEAR, PTURG THE HEARTS OF LNS AND BURROWG TO MY NSCNS LIKE PERHAPS NOTHG BUT THE LTLE MERMAID HAD UP TO THAT POT.MY 10-YEAR-OLD SISTER WAS TO TOO, BUT NOT QUE THE SAME ARNT WAY. LUCKILY, I HAD A IEND, A BT IEND, REALLY—I’LL LL HIM RYAN—WHO UNRSTOOD WHAT ALL MEANT TO ME, BEE MEANT AS MUCH TO HIM. WE SPENT WHAT I REMEMBER BEG A WHOLE WTER CIDG WHICH SKATER WAS OUR FAVORE (ONLY THE WOMEN, NEVER THE MEN; EVEN AT THAT AGE, THERE WAS SOMETHG PERHAPS TOO TRIGUG ABOUT THEM) AND GLIDG AROUND ON HIS HARDWOOD LIVG-ROOM FLOOR OUR SOCKS—PRETENDG TO DO TRIPLE AXELS AND SALCHOWS, AWKWARDLY MIMICKG KERRIGAN’S BEGUILG SPS—TWO SILLY LTLE BOYS WH AN APPRECIATN FOR THE GRACEFUL THGS THIS ROUGH WORLD.BY THE TIME THE LILLEHAMMER GAM 1994 ARRIVED (HOW SPOILED WE WERE TO HAVE THEM ONLY TWO YEARS APART!), WH ALL THEIR TONYA HARDG DRAMA, RYAN AND I HAD DRIFTED APART, AS IS THE NATURAL DOWNWARD ARC OF A IENDSHIP WHEN YOU DON’T GO TO THE SAME SCHOOL OR LIVE THE SAME TOWN. OURS, I ALWAYS SUPPOSED, HAD JT BEEN A IENDSHIP OF NVENIENCE, UNTIL WASN’T. WHAT REMAED WAS MY LOVE OF OLYMPIC FIGURE SKATG, AND I WATCHED RAPT EVERY FOUR YEARS. MY HMAN YEAR OF LLEGE, MY NEW IENDS (ALL GIRLS) THOUGHT I WAS SANE—BUT ALSO MAYBE A LTLE FUN—WHEN I CRIED BTER TEARS AT MICHELLE KWAN’S GEO “FIELDS OF GOLD” EXHIBN SKATE, AFTER SHE’D FISHED A DISAPPOTG THIRD. OVER THE YEARS, OLYMPIC ICE SKATG OFFERED ME AN OUTLET FOR BIG FEELGS, THE WAY OTHER SPORTS MIGHT DO FOR OTHER MEN, I SUPPOSE.ANYWAY, I GOT OLR. TIME PASSED. I ME OUT, HAD A FEW FUMBLG ROMANC WH GUYS, AND I BEGAN MY ADULT LIFE. I WOULD SOMETIM, UALLY AROUND OLYMPICS TIME, WAX MDL TO OTHER IENDS ABOUT RYAN AND OUR SKATG OBSSN THAT WTER LONG AGO. PERHAPS SPURRED ON BY ONE OF THOSE REVERI, A FEW YEARS AGO I TRACKED RYAN DOWN ON FACEBOOK. I SAW THAT HE LIVED LOS ANGEL, AND, LIKE ME, WAS A WRER. AND I SAW THAT, QUE UNLIKE ME, HE WAS VASTATGLY HANDSOME—A LLEGE SOCCER JOCK-TURNED-WEEKEND OUTDOORSMAN, WH THE RIPPLED AME AND CHISELED FEATUR TO MATCH.WH SOME BATN OF CURSY AND JEALONS, I REACHED OUT—TOLD HIM I’D BE TOWN FOR A WORK THG A UPLE MONTHS, AND WOULD HE MAYBE LIKE TO GET A DRK. HE AGREED AND WE MET—EVEN MORE HANDSOME PERSON, BUT STILL THE FOX-FACED BOY I REMEMBER AT EIGHT YEARS OLD—AND OVER THE URSE OF A UPLE OF DRKS, I LEARNED THAT HE IS GAY TOO. I WAS SURPRISED, AND TOLD HIM AS MUCH. HE REPLIED, “SURPRISED? RICHARD, WE ED TO DO FIGURE-SKATG ROUT MY LIVG ROOM.” SO HE REMEMBERED TOO!LAST SUMMER I TOOK SOME IENDS UP TO MY PARENTS’ HOE RHO ISLAND, AND ON THE FIRST NIGHT, MY MOTHER AND I WERE UPSTAIRS, MAKG UP THE FOLD-OUT UCH FOR ONE OF THE GUTS. I N’T REMEMBER HOW WE GOT ON THE TOPIC, BUT SOMEHOW RYAN ME UP. SHE ASKED IF HE WAS MARRIED AND I SAID—AS IF THIS WAS AN ANSWER TO HER QUTN—THAT, NO, HE WAS GAY. MY MOM STOPPED TENDG TO THE BEDSHEETS AND LOOKED UP AT ME. “YOU’RE KIDDG,” SHE SAID. “HE’S GAY? AND TO THK HIS FATHER SAID YOU TWO ULDN’T SEE EACH OTHER ANYMORE BEE HE THOUGHT YOU WERE GAY.”I WAS SHOCKED, AND ASKED MY MOM A FEW QUTNS ABOUT —WAS THE THKG THAT I, AT EIGHT YEARS OLD, WAS TURNG RYAN GAY? HAD I ASKED WHY I SUDNLY DIDN’T SEE MY BT IEND ANYMORE?—BUT THEN JT KD OF BSHED OFF AND HEAD BACK TO THE WEEKEND WH MY IENDS, TO A LIFE WHERE I TRY TO NOT ET TOO MUCH OVER STUFF THAT DID OR DIDN’T HAPPEN A QUARTER CENTURY AGO. BUT OVER TIME, THAT LTLE SUAL REVEAL—THAT RYAN AND I HAD NOT NATURALLY DRIFTED APART, AS I’D LONG THOUGHT—BEGAN TO WEAR AT ME. IN THE MONTHS SCE, ’S MA ME SO SAD FOR LTLE ME AND LTLE HIM—GAY BOYS WHO WERE UNAWARE OF THE MECHANISMS LOOMG OVER THEM, WHO DID NOT KNOW THEY’D BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT, HAD BEEN NSIRED FOR THEIR DIFFERENCE ALREADY.I THOUGHT OF RYAN ON SUNDAY NIGHT, WHEN FIGURE SKATER ADAM RIPPON MA HIS GRAND OLYMPIC BUT—OLD, AT 28 (UGH), FOR A FIRST-TIME OLYMPIAN, BUT SO MANY OTHER WAYS BRAND NEW. HE’S THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN ATHLETE TO QUALIFY FOR THE WTER OLYMPICS (OUT GAY SKIER G KENWORTHY PETED HIS FIRST OLYMPICS WHILE STILL THE CLOSET), AND HAS BEEN PLAYFULLY UNABASHED ABOUT HIS SEXUALY, ON AND OFF THE ICE. I’D BEEN AWARE OF RIPPON, PERHAPS PAFULLY SO, FOR A UPLE OF YEARS, BUT HAD NOT REALLY GRAPPLED WH WHAT HE MIGHT MEAN UNTIL HIS SKATE THE TEAM EVENT ON SUNDAY, A TWTER-TRENDG RIGHTEO MOMENT THAT FELT LIKE A HIGH ACHIEVEMENT BEFORE THE SR EVEN ME . (THE AMERINS EVENTUALLY EARNED A BRONZE MEDAL.)PERHAPS THE TIMG WAS JT RIGHT FOR RIPPON, WH AMERI MIRED DISPIRG POLIL DISASTER AND ROILG SOCIAL ANIM. PRR TO THE GAM, RIPPON VOICED DISAPPROVAL OF VICE PRINT MIKE PENCE—WHO WOULD BE ATTENDG THE OPENG CEREMONI AND PLANNED TO MEET WH THE U.S. TEAM—TURNG RIPPON TO SOMETHG OF A POLIL HERO. (OF URSE, RIPPON ENJOYS A CERTA LEVEL OF PROTECTN THAT POLILLY OUTSPOKEN ATHLET OF LOR, LIKE COL KAEPERNICK, DO NOT.) AND THEN HE WENT AND DID HIS ROUTE, A SOFT-SPOKEN, ELEGANT PROGRAM SET TO COLDPLAY MIC (YUP!), MORE FLUID AND LITE AND, Y, EFFEMATE, THAN THE BOY SKATERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. HERE WAS A MAN BEG HIMSELF, AT THE PEAK OF HIS ABILI, ON AN TERNATNAL STAGE, HAILED AS A HERO. AND EVERYONE KNEW HE WAS GAY!EVERYONE KNEW JOHNNY WEIR WAS GAY BACK 2006 AND 2010, WHEN HIS LOUD STUM AND QUEENY SOUCIANCE WERE THE FOC OF MUCH OLYMPIC CHATTER. BUT HE DIDN’T SAY UNTIL LATER; THERE WAS ALWAYS A GUARDNS ABOUT HIM, A TEASE. WEIR WAS A MENTATOR LAST NIGHT DURG RIPPON’S SKATE, AND I THOUGHT I HEARD A LTLE TCH HIS VOICE, SOME NOTE OF REGRET. MAYBE THAT WAS ME PROJECTG, BUT I’D HAVE TO IMAGE THAT SOMEONE LIKE RIPPON—SO SIAR EXCEPT ONE CCIAL WAY—MIGHT GIVE WEIR PSE, MAKE HIM THK ABOUT HIS OWN OLYMPIC PAST, AND WONR WHAT IF.MOST POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLGEIA REPUBLINS SAY THEY'LL MOVE TO REMOVE FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS FROM OFFICE WH NEW STATE LAWBY ERIC LUTZHOW MK, THIEL, ZUCKERBERG, AND ANDRESEN—FOUR BILLNAIRE TECHNO-OLIGARCHS—ARE CREATG AN ALTERNATE, AUTOCRATIC REALYBY JONATHAN TAPLI SPECT THAT RIPPON HAS THAT EFFECT ON LOTS OF PEOPLE—THAT MIX OF EXCEMENT AND MELANCHOLY. HE CERTALY DO ON ME. HAVE I MENTNED YET THAT ADAM RIPPON IS GEO? LIKE, CHISELED BY AN ANCIENT (AND FELY GAY) GREEK SCULPTOR WH A LOVG HAND, MMERIZGLY SYMMETRIL WH EY THAT GLOW LIKE JEWELS. HE’S ABSURD, REALLY. IT HURTS TO LOOK AT ADAM RIPPON, BUT THE DOULR EXQUISE WAY, THE GOOD KD OF HURT—THE KD THAT ACH TO BE WH HIM, THAT ACH TO BE HIM.THAT’S A FEELG PERHAPS UNIQUELY PARTICULAR TO THE GAY EXPERIENCE, THE MUDDIED NFN OVER WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE SOMEONE’S PANN OR IF YOU WANT TO STEP SI THEIR SK, TO HAB THE WORLD AS THEY DO. WATCHG RIPPON HAVE HIS TRIUMPHANT MOMENT ON SUNDAY NIGHT—AND GIVE A FUNNY, ANK TERVIEW AFTERWARD—I FELT THE KD OF YEARNG FOR A CELEBRY THAT I HAVEN’T FELT SCE I WAS 17, HALF MY LIFE AGO. HOW STRANGE TO EXPERIENCE THAT WHILE WATCHG SPORTS, AN AREA OF CULTURE I’M UALLY PRETTY ALIENATED OM UNLS ’S OLYMPICS TIME. SURE THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF SWIMMERS AND GYMNASTS AND WHOMEVER ELSE TO LT AFTER OLYMPICS PAST, BUT RIPPON IS SOMETHG ELSE—A SASSY BEAN OF HOPE, A GAY ANGEL SENT TO LIGHT AND, SURE, SADN A LTLE WH ALL HIS DISTANT BETY AND POISE.I FELT THIS AS A 34-YEAR-OLD, AND THEN REALIZED HOW MUCH MORE ACUTELY THE ADAM RIPPON OF ALL MT SWEETLY STG FOR A WI-EYED KID. THE EFFIVE REACTN TO RIPPON SHOWS HOW VERY IMPORTANT REPRENTATN N BE, JT AS BLACK PANTHER WILL WHEN ARRIV MOVIE THEATERS THIS WEEK. IT MATTERS TO A CHILD—AND TO AN ADULT—TO, Y, SEE SOME REFLECTN OF THEMSELV. BUT ALSO TO HAVE THE FARAWAY HERO, THE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE IALS. MAYBE THOSE UNREACHABLE GODS SOMEHOW HELP CLARIFY THGS HERE ON EARTH.IF I, AT EIGHT, OR 10, OR 14 (OH GOD, 14), HAD SEEN ADAM RIPPON ALL HIS SWANNG, PROUD SPLENDOR, AND EVERYONE APPLDG HIM FOR , WOULD HAVE STROYED ME—BUT ALSO REMA ME. IT WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHG TO ME THAT I RARELY EVER HEARD SAID. HOW MUCH TIME YOUNG QUEER PEOPLE SPEND YEARNG FOR THAT KD OF NNECTN, FOREVER SIFTG THROUGH CULTURE TO FD THE GAY STUFF. WHEN YOU FD , N SPEAK TO YOU ALMOST HOLY TON. ON SUNDAY NIGHT, THERE WAS GAY STUFF, AND SWISHY GAY STUFF TO BOOT, RIGHT THERE ON NATNAL TV, FOR ANYONE WHO WANTED : POWERFUL AND ACPLISHED AND BETIFUL.WATCHG RIPPON’S PROGRAM, AND ALL THE SUBSEQUENT FERVOR, I LET MYSELF DRIFT BACK TO MY SOCKED-FOOT SKATG DAYS. I WONRED IF RYAN WATCHED THE BROADST, AND WHAT HE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT . I ENTERTAED A BTERSWEET FANTASY, WISHG THAT WE WERE KIDS NOW, WATCHG RIPPON’S BIG SKATE TOGETHER, MAYBE NOT AWARE OF WHAT EXACTLY WE WERE SEEG, BUT POSSSED OF THAT TERNAL KNOWG, THAT REGNN OF SAME, THAT TO RM SO MUCH OF GAY LIFE. THE NEW SADNS THAT BLOOMED ME LAST SUMMER, WHEN I LEARNED THE TE HISTORY OF ME AND RYAN, WAS POUND, BUT A STRANGE WAY ALSO HEALED, ON SUNDAY NIGHT. HOW OFTEN, WAYS PETTY AND PROFOUND, THE WORLD TRI TO TAMP DOWN WHAT ADAM RIPPON SO WONDROLY, NFINTLY EXUD ON THAT ICE. AND HOW TERRIFIC THAT SO MANY KIDS MAY HAVE SEEN AND LOVED AND THEN GONE SKATG AROUND THEIR OWN LIVG ROOMS, MAYBE FEELG A LTLE EER THAN BEFORE.MOST POPULAROUR FLAG MEANS DEATH SEASON 2: EXCLIVE FIRST LOOKBY SARAH CATHERALLGEIA REPUBLINS SAY THEY'LL MOVE TO REMOVE FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS FROM OFFICE WH NEW STATE LAWBY ERIC LUTZHOW MK, THIEL, ZUCKERBERG, AND ANDRESEN—FOUR BILLNAIRE TECHNO-OLIGARCHS—ARE CREATG AN ALTERNATE, AUTOCRATIC REALYBY JONATHAN TAPLTHE BT SIGHTS AT THE 2018 OLYMPICS OPENG CEREMONY1 / 18CHEVRONCHEVRONBY QUN ROONEY/GETTY IMAG.RICHARD LAWSON

How much an out gay Olympian uld mean to a kid now—or to a 34-year-old who’s been wag for his whole life. * rippon gay athlete *

"Any article I do now is sort of like, 'Gay Olympian Adam Rippon, '" says Adam Rippon, the 28-year-old figure skater who do, fact, own the distctn of beg the first openly gay athlete ever to make a U.

It wasn't until several weeks after his selectn, though, that the label beme practilly mandatory to clu stori about Rippon, when he sharply cricized the cisn to have stg vice print and noted homophobe Mike Pence lead the Amerin legatn to the openg ceremony Pyeongchang. "Beg gay has never been a big al to me, which is why 's a ltle funny to be gettg all this attentn about , " he explaed. " seem to relish teractg wh people on Twter—particularly wh those who @ you wh some brand of homophobia.

USA TODAY: GAY OLYMPIC ATHLETE TURNS DOWN PENCE MEETG

US Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon turned down a meetg wh Vice Print Mike Pence after cricizg him for his stance on gay rights, USA Today reported Wednday. * rippon gay athlete *

I tweeted a while ago about an terview which I was asked what 's like to be a gay athlete, and I said, "It's exactly like beg a straight athlete, except wh better eyebrows. I was a ltle surprised to learn that 2018, the Uned Stat still had yet to have an openly gay Wter Olympian.

GAY ATHLET MAKE HISTORY AT WTER OLYMPICS

Rippon unapologetilly embrac his role as the first openly gay Olympic athlete, offerg hope and empowerment to LGBT people this perd of social nservatism. * rippon gay athlete *

About a year after Rsia’s "gay propaganda" law was enacted, reporters were askg athlet about at a media summ before the 2014 Sochi Gam.

Figure Skatg wanted to do a ver story for their magaze wh Ashley and me, and I said that I wanted to talk about beg gay—to very sually brg up the article. I've told both of them separately that if they ever need anythg, they n always e to next athlet who e out won't be "gay Olympians. I don't know, but I do feel that Print Obama's cisn to have gay former Olympic gold medalists lead the Sochi legatn 2014 was a really poignant choice.

In spe of g out as gay few years ago, Amerin figure skater and self-proclaimed 'Ameri's sweetheart' Adam Rippon had not been able to fd the man he would be patible wh—until Pennsylvania native won the Ameri's and world's heart when he won the bronze medal 2018 Wter Olympics and also appeared and won the 26th season of Dancg Wh The Stars (DWTS) 2018. Dancg Wh The Stars: Adam Rippon and his partner Jenna Johnson w the DWTS season 26 (published 21 March 2018) Adam is the first openly gay medalist for the US Wter Olympics and also the first openly gay wner of Rippon's Parents Coaxed Him Into SkatgBorn on 11 November 1989 Scranton, Pennsylvania as the elst of six children of Rick and Kelly Rippon, Adam had a hearg disabily om his birth.

ADAM RIPPON GETS EMOTNAL WATCHG A STRANGER COMFORT GAY ATHLETE ON HIDN-CAMERA SHOW

Figure skater Adam Rippon, who won a bronze medal Pyeongchang, is jt one of the openly gay athlet who's makg history at the Wter Gam. * rippon gay athlete *

Another Athlete: Jeremy Bloom & Adventuro Girliend Might Jt Get Married; Here's WhyAlready acctomed to twirlg, Adam and his choreographer partner Jenna Johnson twirled their way to victory DWTS 2018, th beg the first openly gay wner of the show. Fally Found Perfect Boyiend, Can't Wa To Take Thgs To Next LevelEven after he me out as gay 2015, there was no news of his boyiend. This time, marketg partments rporate Ameri are scramblg to figure out how to nnect themselv to the gay kid.

Wrappg a TV show around a big, black drag queen was ghettoized to “gay TV”; Now ’s ratgs gold. The most gltery, gay athlete at the Wter Olympics is, after jt a few days, our natnal hero. It’s so important for gay youth to see someone like Rippon beg his thentic gay self.

ADAM RIPPON MA HISTORY AS THE FIRST OPENLY GAY AMERIN MAN TO W AT THE WTER OLYMPICS

Rippon won a bronze medal at the 2018 Wter Olympics and was one of the first openly gay men to pete on Team USA" emprop="scriptn * rippon gay athlete *

The kicker is all of this is the importance to that gay youth of seeg the reactn to him.

GET TO KNOW ADAM RIPPON — THE FIRST OPENLY GAY MAN TO EVER QUALIFY FOR THE WTER OLYMPICS

Adam Rippon beme a hoehold name overnight as he prepared for and peted the 2018 Wter Olympics Pyeongchang. He left not only as a bronze medalist, but also as the first openly gay man to qualify and w a medal for Team USA at the Wter Olympics. * rippon gay athlete *

It’s no secret that the champn figure skater is openly gay; he’s been very vol about beg the first openly gay Amerin Olympic figure skater. Throughout his entire skatg reer, many people have probably been wonrg whether or not Adam Rippon is gay, so ’s no surprise that he fally revealed his sexualy durg a 2015 terview wh Skatg the time, took a great al of urage for the then-26-year-old figure skater to e out on such a public fom, pecially sce there was no set precent for LGBTQ+ Olympic athlet. Although many athlet had already e out years after petg the Olympics, there has never been any openly gay athlet on the current Olympic roster—at least not on the Amerin Is Adam Rippon Datg?

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* RIPPON GAY ATHLETE

Gay athlet make history at Wter Olympics .

TOP