AKSARBENT: U.S. Skater Jeremy Abbott out of the quislg closet, gets spanked by gay twter: 'I hope the bastard falls', 'Too bad Tonya Hardg isn't on the team'

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• U.S. FIGURE SKATER JEREMY ABBOTT OPENS MOUTH, INSERTS {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY SNICKSAUGT 25, 2013/12:21 PMBY SNICKSAUGT 25, 2013 / 12:21 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"U.S. FIGURE SKATER JEREMY ABBOTT OPENS MOUTH, INSERTS SKATE","DATEPUBLISHED":"2013-08-25T16:21:57.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2013-08-25T16:21:57.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SNICKS","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THREE-TIME U.S. NATNAL CHAMPN FIGURE SKATER JEREMY ABBOTT IS EXPERIENCG A SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH THAT MAY REACH EPIC PROPORTNS, FOR MENTS HE MA TO THE DENVER POST ABOUT SOCHI AND RSIA'S ANTI-GAY LAW:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"RSIA IS HOSTG ," ABBOTT SAID. "I'M NOT GOG TO GO TO SOMEBODY'S HOE AND BE LIKE, 'UM, THE WAY YOU RATE IS HIO, AND YOU NEED TO PLETELY REDO THIS OR I'M NEVER G BACK.' IT'S A LTLE , SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY BAD THGS ABOUT A UNTRY THAT'S HOSTG THE WORLD, SENTIALLY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"MAYBE I DON'T AGREE WH THEIR POLICI, AND MAYBE I DON'T AGREE WH SOME THGS, BUT THAT'S FOR THEM TO SORT OUT. MY SPEAKG OUT JT MAK ME LOOK LIKE AN ASS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NO, JEREMY, THOSE MENTS MAKE YOU LIKE AN ASS. A CLUELS ASS. IF YOU WENT TO SOMEBODY'S HOE AND THEY WERE BEATG A GAY TEENAGER, WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHG THEN?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND HE'S AGAST A BOYTT, AND WHILE MOST ATHLET AGREE, HE PROV AGA THAT HE HAS NO IA WHAT'S AT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THANK GOD, BEG AN ATHLETE AND HAVG TRAED SO LONG FOR THIS, I WOULD JT BE CSHED IF THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY," ABBOTT SAID. "PULLG ATHLET OUT OF A PETIVE EVENT ISN'T GOG TO SOLVE SOME UNTRY'S POLIL DISPUT. IT'S ONLY GOG TO AFFECT THE ATHLET, AND 'S NOT GOG TO DO ANYTHG TO CHANGE THEIR POLICI OR CHANGE THE UNTRY OR CHANGE THE WORLD."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"SOME UNTRY'S POLIL DISPUT?" THIS ISN'T A POLIL DISPUTE, THIS IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}APPARENTLY U.S. ATHLET ARE "BEG ACHED NOT TO SAY ANYTHG THAT MIGHT UPSET RSIA." IF THIS IS THE KD OF IGNORANCE THAT'S GOG TO BE SPEWED, MAYBE THEY SHOULD BE ACHED NOT TO SAY ANYTHG ... {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• U.S. MALE SKATERS AVOID TAKG A STAND ON RSIA'S ANTI-GAY LAWS
• U.S. FIGURE SKATER SAYS SPEAKG OUT AGAST RSIA'S ANTIGAY LAW WOULD BE 'RU'

U.S. FIGURE SKATER JEREMY ABBOTT OPENS MOUTH, INSERTS {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}NEWSBY SNICKSAUGT 25, 2013/12:21 PMBY SNICKSAUGT 25, 2013 / 12:21 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"U.S. FIGURE SKATER JEREMY ABBOTT OPENS MOUTH, INSERTS SKATE","DATEPUBLISHED":"2013-08-25T16:21:57.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2013-08-25T16:21:57.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SNICKS","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"NEWS"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THREE-TIME U.S. NATNAL CHAMPN FIGURE SKATER JEREMY ABBOTT IS EXPERIENCG A SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH THAT MAY REACH EPIC PROPORTNS, FOR MENTS HE MA TO THE DENVER POST ABOUT SOCHI AND RSIA'S ANTI-GAY LAW:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"RSIA IS HOSTG ," ABBOTT SAID. "I'M NOT GOG TO GO TO SOMEBODY'S HOE AND BE LIKE, 'UM, THE WAY YOU RATE IS HIO, AND YOU NEED TO PLETELY REDO THIS OR I'M NEVER G BACK.' IT'S A LTLE , SO I DON'T WANT TO SAY BAD THGS ABOUT A UNTRY THAT'S HOSTG THE WORLD, SENTIALLY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"MAYBE I DON'T AGREE WH THEIR POLICI, AND MAYBE I DON'T AGREE WH SOME THGS, BUT THAT'S FOR THEM TO SORT OUT. MY SPEAKG OUT JT MAK ME LOOK LIKE AN ASS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NO, JEREMY, THOSE MENTS MAKE YOU LIKE AN ASS. A CLUELS ASS. IF YOU WENT TO SOMEBODY'S HOE AND THEY WERE BEATG A GAY TEENAGER, WOULD YOU SAY SOMETHG THEN?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AND HE'S AGAST A BOYTT, AND WHILE MOST ATHLET AGREE, HE PROV AGA THAT HE HAS NO IA WHAT'S AT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THANK GOD, BEG AN ATHLETE AND HAVG TRAED SO LONG FOR THIS, I WOULD JT BE CSHED IF THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY," ABBOTT SAID. "PULLG ATHLET OUT OF A PETIVE EVENT ISN'T GOG TO SOLVE SOME UNTRY'S POLIL DISPUT. IT'S ONLY GOG TO AFFECT THE ATHLET, AND 'S NOT GOG TO DO ANYTHG TO CHANGE THEIR POLICI OR CHANGE THE UNTRY OR CHANGE THE WORLD."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"SOME UNTRY'S POLIL DISPUT?" THIS ISN'T A POLIL DISPUTE, THIS IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}APPARENTLY U.S. ATHLET ARE "BEG ACHED NOT TO SAY ANYTHG THAT MIGHT UPSET RSIA." IF THIS IS THE KD OF IGNORANCE THAT'S GOG TO BE SPEWED, MAYBE THEY SHOULD BE ACHED NOT TO SAY ANYTHG ... {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Abbott acted on another whim June of 2020, cidg to publicly e out as gay.

Last Augt, Jeremy Abbott refed to speak agast Rsia’s anti-gay laws. " The timg is the msage here: Abbott is ditg that would not have been safe for him to say anythg before he secured an Olympic add, "I don’t re what people assume about me, whether or not I am gay or straight.

Abbott is signalg that he is not homophobic and personally has no nflict wh beg nsired gay; that he has been told not to state his orientatn if he wants the support of his feratn wh the myriad sentials an Olympic hopeful requir; and that gay skaters Sochi will need alli, not people prsurg them to e out and perhaps cricizg them if they do not. Would viewers who watched Weir 2010 have been shocked to learn he was gay? Read between the l: he was beg prsured behd the the begng of this Olympic season, Weir announced his tentn to try for an Olympic spot and to pete Sochi if he qualified, spe the dangero anti-gay laws.

U.S. MALE SKATERS AVOID TAKG A STAND ON RSIA'S ANTI-GAY LAWS

As someone wh a public profile, as long as he posned himself as a potential Olympic petor, he had a platform om which to clare that gay athlet have the same right to pete as any others. He is now as safe as an out gay man n be at the Sochi Olympics, an on-mera employee of a major Olympic fundg source. Until December, he had knowgly refed to acknowledge his sexual orientatn on the public rerd, although is probably accurate to say that he was privately open about beg gay wh 100% of his iends, fay, and acquatanc figure skatg.

In 1988, when he beme famo for his Olympic w, the Amerin social climate was homophobic enough that would have been a risk for him to e out, rultg discrimatn and probably signifint loss of e endorsement and appearance fe. Yet by 1997, his homosexualy was so wily assumed popular culture that was even an element of the televisn rtoon "South Park.

Boano never challenged South Park’s characterizatn of him as a gay in but embraced wh good humor, even g their material for his own televisn this relaxed attu is pertent wh North Ameri only. Wh the current ntext of anti-gay persecutn Rsia, Boano’s g out remds people jt how much urage such a gture n take.

U.S. FIGURE SKATER SAYS SPEAKG OUT AGAST RSIA'S ANTIGAY LAW WOULD BE 'RU'

Olympic athlet, like anyone else who travels ternatnally for a livg, have safety ncerns that may seem outdated to those of who spend most of our time more nsistently gay-supportive spac. This g out is not about his dividual procs or even about beg a role mol to the general gay public. It is about servg the ally role that Abbott mentned, standg up for gay athlet the way Weir did earlier this season, one Olympian to another.

By g out and travelg to Sochi, he is signalg to gay skaters that he will speak on their behalf until the day they are no longer prsured to silence.

He is willg to talk about his body issu for the same reason that he cid 2015 to publicly reveal that he is gay. Natnal Champn figure skater Jeremy Abbott is experiencg a social media backlash that may reach epic proportns, for ments he ma to The Denver Post about Sochi and Rsia's anti-gay law:"Rsia is hostg , " Abbott said. If you went to somebody's hoe and they were beatg a gay teenager, would you say somethg then?