To say that Weir is “not family friendly” would be a clear jab at his perceived sexual orientation. Weir is extremely involved with his family. He is putting his younger brother through college, and supports the family financially because his father’s disability prohibits him from working. Weir’s dedication to his family can be clearly documented in the Sundance series, Be Good Johnny Weir, which follows him and his family and friends through his life and career as a championship skater.
Someday we’ll live in a world where it simply won’t matter who one loves, only that one does love. People will be valued and appreciated for who they are and what they add to humanity. One’s lifestyle simply will not matter, because society will come to understand that in a free society one is and should be free to live and love as they see fit. Discrimination based on lifestyle and/or sexual orientation will be illegal and thoroughly beyond the pale. People will be treated as unique, valuable individuals…not denigrated for who they are, who they love, or how they live their lives. That will happen someday…just not any time soon, and likely not in our lifetimes.
Johnny Weir is a three-time national figure skating champion, a gifted athlete, and recently finished sixth at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, none of that is enough for the fine, upstanding citizens who run Stars on Ice…who apparently believe that Weir is just too gay for their traveling ice show. That Weir has never come out as gay (and why should he?) seems completely beside the point. The fact that Weir has a large LGBT following and is known for his flamboyant style and flashy costumes seems to mean only one thing to Stars on Ice: he’s as gay as the day is long, and therefore not “family friendly” enough for Stars on Ice.
Really? So the (alleged) sexual orientation of a talented athlete- who’s never publicly addressed his sexuality- is enough to disqualify those concerned about our poor, impressionable children? Gee, if you wanted to use sexuality (or abuse of same) as a disqualifying factor, then one could reasonably argue that Ben Roethlisberger should be banned from the NFL and Tiger Woods from the PGA Tour. After all, we’re talking documented (albeit for the most part alleged) sexual abberation with Roethlisberger and Woods. Weir hasn’t even publicly discussed whether or not he prefers girls or boys…and yet he’s not good enough for Stars on Ice. Then again, no one has ever argued convincingly that discrimination is based on anything except ignorance and prejudice, eh?
Personally, I could care less what Stars on Ice does; I’ll buy a ticket to one of their shows about the same time I’m elected Queen of England. What does bother me is the idea that we still live in a world where a talented athlete can be discriminated against simply because of what a few ignorant troglodytes perceive his sexuality to be. Well, he might be gay…he LOOKS gay…so, he’s not “family friendly”. WTF??
Perhaps if he started hanging with Tiger Woods and got busted by TMZ for sleeping with the Swedish Bikini Team….
