OUT Skaters give their inside takes (article from The Advocate)

[olympic]

https://www.advocate.com/sports/2022/2/15/9-stories-queer-figure-skaters-their-own-words

My take-aways:

1. A Russian judge approached Raf about his dance club SP, and told Raf that if Adam was going to do that program, he should just go completely OTT

2. Randy Gardner had a years-long affair w/ Robin Cousins that they kept DL in the late 70s. John Nicks told him they needed to squelch any rumors

3. Jeremy Abbott is Gay? Wow. I did not know that ...

4. ETA - Tim Goebel wanted to come out at a press conference, but didn't because among other things, FC would have grabbed the mike.

 

[AJ Skatefan]

https://www.advocate.com/sports/2022/2/15/9-stories-queer-figure-skaters-their-own-words

My take-aways:

1. A Russian judge approached Raf about his dance club SP, and told Raf that if Adam was going to do that program, he should just go completely OTT

2. Randy Gardner had a years-long affair w/ Robin Cousins that they kept DL in the late 70s. John Nicks told him they needed to squelch any rumors

3. Jeremy Abbott is Gay? Wow. I did not know that ...

4. ETA - Tim Goebel wanted to come out at a press conference, but didn't because among other things, FC would have grabbed the mike.

What a nice article! Thanks

 

[MacMadame]

Jeremy Abbott is Gay? Wow. I did not know that ...

I thought he was out? Or am I confusing him with someone else?

 

[olympic]

I thought he was out? Or am I confusing him with someone else?

IDK. Maybe because I wasn't a big fan and never followed him, I never saw an article about him being gay. I tend to notice things like that ...

 

[Sylvia]

@olympic, I posted the Advocate article earlier here: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/lgbtq-in-figure-skating.108407/page-3#post-6210513

From a January 2021 article posted in Abbott's fan thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/jeremy-abbott-uber-thread.81547/page-29#post-5946814

Abbott acted on another whim in June of 2020, deciding to publicly come out as gay. While he'd never hidden his sexuality from the people close to him, the time finally felt right to add his own voice to the LGBTQ figure skating community.
"I just never talked about it publicly. And I held a lot of shame, actually, about that for a long time," Abbott said. "I struggled with saying it for many reasons, because a lot of times when I wanted to say it, I always felt like I was doing it for the wrong reason. Honestly, with the political climate and everything that was going on, I was just like, 'You know what? One more voice can help. So here it is.'"

 

[Theatregirl1122]

3. Jeremy Abbott is Gay? Wow. I did not know that ...

Wait, is this sarcastic?

 

[Japanfan]

I also did not know that Abbott is gay. IMO he never had that vibe about him that announced "I am gay".

Mind you, I haven't followed Abbott closely, especially in the years since he's retired - I did love his skating.

 

[antmanb]

There was an article somewhere else that also referenced Robin Cousins being gay but I don't recall him every formally coming out, but i guess these articles referring to him in the past year or so must mean he's happy for the news to be put out there.

I love that he and Randy Gardner were in a relationship for three years and experienced the Olympics together (albeit secretly).

 

[allezfred]

The name Randy Gardner never fails.

 

[olympic]

Wait, is this sarcastic?

Nope. I am sincerely surprised. His comments around Sochi 2014 were sort of bro-ish; he sounded like a clueless straight dude when answering a question in response to Russia's anti-gay laws, so I just assumed he was.

 

[Former Lurve Goddess]

Nope. I am sincerely surprised. His comments around Sochi 2014 were sort of bro-ish; he sounded like a clueless straight dude when answering a question in response to Russia's anti-gay laws, so I just assumed he was.

Nah, he sounded like someone desperately trying not to be outed.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

4. ETA - Tim Goebel wanted to come out at a press conference, but didn't because among other things, FC would have grabbed the mike.

I think it says he WANST going to do that. It wasn’t his thing…….

 

[olympic]

I think it says he WANST going to do that. It wasn’t his thing…….

I think it was ‘ I felt like it’ or something