This week, the Today Show's Meredith Vieira interviewed U.S. champion figure skater Johnny Weir, who recently came out in his memoirs. Though his book barely discusses his sexuality, Vieira spent most of the interview questioning Johnny about it.
In response to the question of why he waited to come out, Weir said, “I've never lived in a closet. I've never claimed to be straight or gay. I claim to be Johnny Weir.”
On the subject of activism, the skater said, “I think the best way I can be an activist is to live my life, and not make that the main thing that is Johnny Weir. I’m much more than just a gay man.”
We couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Vieira asked Weir about a passage in his book in which he discusses coming out to his mom. Johnny wrote, “She couldn't speak and her shoulders went way up around her ears. Suddenly it felt like I was sitting in the room with a stranger. And this was my mom. My best friend. The energy around us dropped as she started to cry.”
He says that since that day, they've discussed his sexuality, and his mother's only concern is his happiness. Go Mom!