I spent 24 years in the closet wanting to talk so desperately about who I was and what I am but too afraid to.
Gus KenworthyRead
I'm so proud that now you can exist as a gay man and be an Olympian, and it can be beneficial rather than negative. So it's amazing. And I just think I feel so liberated now that I've been out of the closet for a while, and so I'm free in that I just get to be myself, speak freely, act freely, and I think that I am competing confidently.
Interpretation
The quote celebrates the freedom and pride of being openly gay in a competitive environment like the Olympics.
Gus Kenworthy's quote emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and the positive impact of openly embracing one's identity. By sharing his experiences of liberation and confidence as a gay Olympian, he demonstrates how authenticity can lead to personal freedom and success, encouraging others to live openly and proudly without fear of negativity associated with their identity.
In practice
In a motivational speech about acceptance and pride at a local community center.
I spent 24 years in the closet wanting to talk so desperately about who I was and what I am but too afraid to.
For anyone who says 'Who cares if you're gay? It's 2018,' well, a lot of people care because a lot of people had the opportunity to be out, and there's been a lot of fear surrounding it. This is the first time we're seeing representation, and because of that, it is a big deal.
Let bravery be thy choice, but not bravado.
Don't do what you want. Do what you don't want. Do what you're trained not to want. Do the things that scare you the most.
I had build up false pictures in my mind and sat before them. I had never had the courage to demand the truth.
When violence against women is no longer societally accepted, no longer kept secret; when everyone understands that even one case is too many. That's when it will change.
Just a few years ago, at the age of 22, I learned I had an aggressive form of leukemia. I needed intensive chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant to save my life. Back then, my doctors told me that I had a 35 percent chance of surviving my transplant.
Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It's tough to do that when we're terrified about what people might see or think.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.