Gus Kenworthy will represent the U.S. at the Olympics in slopestyle freestyle skiing, and compete in the X-Games this weekend. As part of his work for Xfinity, he spoke to For the Win about representing the LGBT community, making a second Olympic team and puppies.
In your Head and Shoulders ad, you are literally the Pride flag bearer.
Yeah!
Is it important for you to represent for LGBT athletes?
Absolutely! I think it's so important. And not even just LGBT athletes, but just the LGBT community in general has been underrepresented for so many years, so for me to get to wave the Pride flag, it feels incredible. It's the first time that the Pride flag has ever been used in a national commercial, so I think that's an amazing feat in and of itself and it also shows that it's really the world's becoming much more accepting but it's new.
It's new to have LGBT representation in that type of way, so I think that's really important. It helps to be someone that any closeted young athlete, or just person in general can look up to and see someone out in their field and being successful and living their life and having good things happen for them and not having a bad experience.
Whose idea was it to include the flag?
It was a little bit of both. The people at P&G that were working on it really wanted to portray me for who I am and wanted to promote the fact that I'm a gay man and showcase diversity, and that's so great. They talked to me about it, and I said I would love to have a pride flag in the commercial. They came up with the concept and I was on board for it, and I think they did a really good job executing.
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Adam Rippon has been outspoken about his issues with vice president Mike Pence leading the Team USA delegation to Pyeongchang. What was your reaction when you found about Pence's role?
I actually found out about it from Adam Rippon's quote about it. I feel the same way as him. I think it's not the person I would have expected, and I think it sends mixed messages because this is the first time we're seeing out U.S. Olympic athletes competing in the Winter Olympics, and then we have someone leading the delegation that doesn't support that, and doesn't support the LGBT community, and has spoken against it. I think it doesn't send the right message. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is.
How has your life changed since coming out?
My life has changed and it hasn't! In some ways, I feel like it's a completely different life, and I get to just be myself. In other ways, nothing's changed. I'm still going to the same ski competitions. Still hanging out with a lot of my same friends, and my family's so great. I think that I've gotten to live authentically, and share who I really am with my family and friends. It's made me feel so comfortable. I think that it's showcased in my skiing. I feel so free and liberated and it's one last thing I have to think about, about being in the closet and worrying about outing myself. My skiing has benefited from that, from being free.
When you're competing, do you think about medals or a score or are you more focused on the run?
I think it's more on I have to perform perfectly. Of course, I get fixated on the score, and I always have a number in mind that I would love to be scored as, and you're constantly wondering what the judges are going to do with your run. At the end of the day, that's completely out of your control. The more I think about those things, the more I psych myself out. All I really can control is how I perform so I try and focus on my run, execution, that I land it the best way I can. I think I have a good sense of what the judges are looking for, and what the sport is looking for, and I think it lines up with the things I want to do on my runs anyway. I usually know if I land my run, and it's executed well, then it's going to get the scores I hope for most of the time, so it's just about trying to performing the best I can and focusing on that.
What's different about making the team this time around?
It's just really hard to make the team a second time. I have so much respect for Olympians that are in the multiple Olympics. Kelly Clark, a snowboarder, this is going to be her fifth Olympics. That's truly crazy to me. That's 20 years of being at the top of the game. Our sport is such a young sport that you might be able to make it to the top of the sport, to maintain that and have longevity in your career is truly the most difficult. I think I'm more proud to make it this time.
Also the fact that I am out, I think it's going to warrant me having a better time in Korea, and really getting to experience it. When you're in the closet, you can't enjoy anything quite as much. I don't think I had the Olympics experience I was hoping for, and now that I'm out, I'm going to really take it all in and have such a better time.
Do you have any puppy-saving plans this time around?
I did a piece with the Humane Society International about the dog meat industry in Korea, and how inhumane it is, and I met a couple dogs that were brought over from dog meat farms in Korea. They were so sweet and that definitely put in my mind that I would love to come home with a dog again. I think right now my sole focus is on competing and landing my run and performing the way I want to, but if I end up meeting some dogs, I may end up coming home with one or two.
It's not too bad to have the reputation as a puppy saver.
No, it's definitely not. I'll take it!
MORE:
9 crazy things you forgot about the original XFL
LeBron James reveals the worst financial decision he ever made
The first game in XFL history was a disaster
Enzo Amore releases first statement after being released by WWE
Pro golfer apologizes after furiously throwing head cover at his caddie
