‘Gross faggot, die of AIDS’: Gus Kenworthy reveals shocking homophobic abuse for being gay Olympian
Gus Kenworthy and Adam Rippon (Instagram/guskenworthy)
Olympic skier Gus Kenworthy has revealed just some of the homophobic abuse directed at him for daring to be an openly gay man at the Olympics.
Kenworthy is a US freestyle skier who made headlines by kissing his boyfriend on live TV while on the US Winter Olympic squad in Pyeongchang.
The Olympics may be over – but Kenworthy is still calling out bigotry, left, right and centre.
Taking to Twitter, he revealed some of the vile anti-gay comments left on his YouTube channel.
One read: “You are not a ‘champion’ you are a faggot. With any luck you die a horribly painful and drawn out death mangled in a car wreck. Or a mussy pushes you off a building would also be just fine. Or maybe someone just walks up to you and plays the ‘knock-out’ game on you and your skull cracks wide open when you hit the ground and bleed out in the street.”
A second said: “Gross faggot. Fuck you. Go die of aids. Sodom and Gomorrah will return. Sick nasty pedo-fag.”
Another added: “These faggots need to go back in the closet out of sight, it’s not ok to suck another man’s dick.”
Sharing the messages, Kenworthy mocked people who had told him “it’s 2018 nobody cares that you’re gay, homophobia doesn’t exist anymore.”
A cursory Twitter search confirms the comments Kenworthy shared are just a fraction of the abusive messages sent in his direction.
Kenworthy has been fairly vocal about his support for LGBT rights at the Games – speaking out against the head of the US Olympic Delegation, Vice President Mike Pence.
He has also vowed to skip a White House reception for athletes, saying: “When we have people elected into office that believe in conversion therapy and are trying to strip trans rights in the military and do these things that are directly attacking the LGBT community, I have no patience.”
The Olympian took another potshot at the administration last week – by donning a ‘Make America Gay Again’ hat.
Kenworthy sported the hat on top of his Winter Olympics uniform as he made a video in support of LGBT non-profit the Human Rights Campaign.
He said: “I am a huge supporter of the Human Rights Campaign because they’re a huge supporter of me.
“It’s been an incredible Olympics – we’ve seen so much change, so much progress, and so much visibility for the LGBT community, and that’s been incredible.
“I don’t think we would be anywhere near where are are without all the hard work the Human Rights Campaign has done. You guys have changed lives, you have saved lives, and I cannot thank you enough.”
Kenworthy has insisted his repulsion to Pence and Trump does not mean he is unpatriotic.
He said: “I am so proud to be from the U.S. and to be from a country where you are able to voice your political opinions and stand up for what you believe in. I think that when you have a platform, you have to use it, especially when you feel very strongly about something.”
He joins his friend, figure skater Adam Rippon, who has also vowed to boycott Trump and Pence.
Adam Rippon riding Gus Kenworthy during the closing ceremony of the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Pyeongchang Stadium (Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)
Donald Trump Jr earlier this month took aim at Rippon.
Rippon had come under fire from conservatives after spurning the head of the US Olympic delegation, Vice President Mike Pence, a notorious opponent of LGBT rights.
After winning a bronze medal in the team skating event, the athlete attempted to move on from the row.
Rippon had told CNN: “I have no problem about what I’ve said because I stand by it, but I think right now the Olympics are about Olympic competition and the athletes involved.”
He quipped: “I don’t want my Olympic experience to be about Mike Pence, I want it to be about my amazing skating and being America’s sweetheart!”
Don Jr said: “Really? Then Perhaps you shouldn’t have spent the past few weeks talking about him. I haven’t heard him mention you once???”
Pence in fact put out a statement suggesting Rippon lied to the public and later sent a tweet claiming his allegations were “fake news”.
Don Jr’s followers proceeded to send a barrage of homophobic abuse to Rippon.
One wrote: “You whine and complain like a little bitch too much. You’re not like a normal athlete. You turn the olympics into a stage for your gayness and you embarrassed your country. You’re a bitchy, overrated faggot who doesn’t deserve to be on team USA.”
Another added: “Wish this faggot would shut his hole”.
