Olympic Silver Medalist Gus Kenworthy Comes Out as Gay, Gets Naked

I am gay. pic.twitter.com/086ayvChq2

— Gus Kenworthy (@guskenworthy) October 22, 2015

Get ready to take ski lessons, work your way up to being one of the top freeskiers in the world, find out where Gus Kenworthy's next competition is going to be, casually bump into him in the locker room, and then ask him to get a cup of cocoa with you! Foolproof. Gorgeous Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy recently came out as gay to ESPN Magazine. In addition to winning at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, 24-year-old Gus is the face of the X Games and through his social media presence has become a main stream star. Via ESPN

As only the third trio in American history to sweep a Winter Olympics event, Kenworthy and fellow medalists Joss Christensen and Nick Goepper are media darlings. They were featured on the Today show,Good Day New York and a box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes. David Letterman gave them a standing ovation. But the charismatic star in the center attracted the most attention. Kenworthy not only medaled in Russia, he also saved the Sochi strays, five dogs that had been living outside an Olympic media center. A photo he posted cuddling the pups went viral, and his social media numbers soared.

From Gus' ESPN photoshoot

Sports stars have it especially difficult when coming out of the closet, because there are a couple douches in sports, and as we all know from elementary school a couple douchy apples can ruin the bunch.

Kenworthy has watched carefully these past few years as the world around him has grown more accepting. Gay marriage is legal now, attitudes are changing. He was excited this spring when Caitlyn Jenner came out. He believes that people are more aware.

"But then at the same time," he says, "people are literally oblivious."

For him, there have existed day-to-day reminders. Take, for instance, the former sponsor who made a crude anti-gay remark about why Kenworthy was once late to a competition. Take his physical therapist, who once told Kenworthy that he couldn't even imagine talking to a gay guy all night. ("I thought, 'You've talked to a gay guy for two hours a day, four days a week for seven months.' ") 

While Ken came out to his family and some friends a couple of years ago, he has chosen this day to bless us with the news. Each time another public figure comes out of the closet a gay teen gets his fairy wings, or something like that, and I applaud the insanely beautiful Gus Kenworthy for his bravery. Now, off to pick out my perfect ski outfit for when I accidentally on purpose bump into Gus on the slopes.

Watch: ESPN Interviews Openly Gay Olympian Gus Kenworthy

UPDATE

It's a good afternoon when this shows up in my inbox. This is from an Instagram post, but since people have a habit of taking down my favorite social media moments, we're doing it the old fashioned way. Here's Gus' butt!