U.S. figure skater Johnny Weir was asked by the New York Times about his sexual orientation and he came off with a classic response.
“There are some things I keep sacred,” Weir said. “My middle name. Who I sleep with. And what kind of hand moisturizer I use.”
Getting more serious, Weir continued: “If I was out to please 10-year-old girls and their 45-year-old mothers in Boise, Idaho, I could play the game and be nice and make my voice deeper. But I don’t see the point. I’m not alive for 10-year-old girls and their 45-year-old mothers in Boise, Idaho — or Colorado Springs, Colo.”
The Colorado Springs remark was in reference to the headquarters of the United States Figure Skating Assn. and Weir’s contention that his more sexually ambiguous style is frowned upon in favor of the more outwardly masculine style by his rival Evan Lysacek.
“If he doesn’t want to skate to music that’s pretty and wear a pretty costume, then go rollerblade or skateboard or do one of those extreme sports,” Weir said of Lysacek.
For his part, Lysacek plays the role of the physical jock skater to the hilt (the Times said he is dating ESPN’s Hottest Female Athlete, Tanith Belbin, that he drives a truck and wants skating to add “extreme” events ala the X Games).
At the nationals, the two finished tied in points and Lysacek won on a controversial tiebreaker. Weir is off to compete in the worlds this weekend in Sweden, while Lysacek has pulled out due to an injury.
I have long admired Weir for not backing down about who he is and for doing everything to acknowledge he is gay without saying the words.
It is annoying, though, to see this contrast made between him and Lysacek, as if being creative and flamboyant means Weir not a “real” athlete. Lysacek is clear what side he is on when he says he thinks “the definition of being dressy or dressing up is like having glitter all over you; to me that’s just such a joke.”
Skaters are tremendous athletes who put a lot of physical strain on their bodies and suffer for their sport. This includes Weir, even if he “owns at least 10 fur coats, did a magazine fashion shoot wearing six-inch heels, and calls Russia ‘my motherland’ despite being from Pennsylvania Amish country.” –Jim Buzinski
on Mar 19th, 2008 at 3:21 AM
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on Mar 19th, 2008 at 2:53 PM
absolutely brilliant response to the question. johnny weir consistently cracks me up while making a good, unspoken point. why does it matter if he is gay? no one is hounded for not being gay so why should he be hounded about being gay. perhaps people want to hear it from his mouth so that they feel comfortable with their stereotypes confirmed. he certainly acts “gay” and his refusal to admit it probably rubs some people the wrong way. people that “act gay” should be open about being gay and since he doesn’t conform to the norm, people don’t like it. his refusal to act “straight” doesn’t mesh with his refusal to admit his homosexuality. this guy is a genius.
on Mar 21st, 2008 at 9:21 AM
Weir’s tiresomely coy responses to the ‘gay’ question are getting old, and I don’t know if he’s doing much of a favour to other young athletes who may look up to him as a role model.
“It is annoying, though, to see this contrast made between him and Lysacek, as if being creative and flamboyant means Weir not a “real” athlete.”
But doesn’t Weir play it the other way? That Lysacek (or, say, Elvis Stojko) are/were not *true* figure skaters because they’re so butch?
“If he doesn’t want to skate to music that’s pretty and wear a pretty costume, then go rollerblade or skateboard or do one of those extreme sports” says Weir. But do all male figure skaters have to follow one style?
I do agree that the skating federation may (hypocritically) favour a more ‘manly’ style of skating, but I don’t think it’s fair to put someone down if that’s their natural style. Figure skating is like dance: some are ballet and ballroom and some are hip-hop and stepping. Weir is just creating his own tyranny. The tyranny of the sequin.
on Mar 21st, 2008 at 1:28 PM
I really like Weir and his answers. I think it is up to the individual to decide what he or she is willing to discuss. It doesn’t matter if the answer is sitting in front of you. I feel he is fighting for the right to not be butch and conform. Why should he adopt a style that is not him for someone else’s favor. He is continuing on with the fight that Rudy G started, and I am glad that he is.
on Mar 21st, 2008 at 6:41 PM
I LOVE his answer. He let’s it be known, while understandably pointing out its nobody’s damn business. Go girl!! I’m his newest fan, and I hate figure skating.
on Mar 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 PM
Well, he just won a Bronze at Worlds, and I hope everybody will just shut up now. He wasn’t perfect at Worlds, but boy, did he fight! It’s his private life, it’s nobody’s business.
Congrats Johnny!
on Mar 23rd, 2008 at 8:27 PM
I love Johnny, but I really wish he would just say I’m gay and put all the questions behind him.
on Apr 1st, 2008 at 11:53 AM
I find it funny that someone would be expected to butch it up in the sport of figure skating. I guess they are trying to get past the belief most people have about all figure skaters being gay. Put in a sport like figure skating it is being unique, to stand out in the competition that is just as important as technical skill. To expect someone to butch it up is something that to me is crazy. You go and be the out and flashy self and be the best skater you can be.
on Apr 2nd, 2008 at 4:18 AM
lol this cant be serious? what kind of stupid responce is that? shesh just admit it.
on May 10th, 2008 at 1:17 PM
on Oct 14th, 2008 at 6:41 AM
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on Nov 23rd, 2009 at 5:45 PM
on Nov 23rd, 2009 at 5:52 PM
While some people may “applaud” this dodge as an example of how to make it “not an issue”, it’s an issue because it’s a dodge. You think any straight person would give an answer like that? Playing the “Clay-Aiken-I’m-going-give-cute-answers-for-the-next-10-years-even-though-everyone-knows” card is just stupid by this point. The most appropriate response should be “Yeah, so?” and that’s the end of it. Anything else is hammering in the fact our community can’t answer a simple question and we have to play these bullshit games with words.