Snow sports' queer community has found a hesitant spokesman. Gus Kenworthy, whose high-profile coming out earned him an ESPN cover story, has become the apple of every X Games journalists' eye.
After taking silver in men's ski superpipe on Thursday, independent features concerning Kenworthy's sexuality have appeared in CNN, USA Today, The Denver Post and Rolling Stone.
As snow sports' first openly gay athlete, Kenworthy's story has become a media content goldmine. The professional skier has affirmed his willingness to represent the gay community, where it has no voice, but he has also grown impatient with the media's constant harping.
"Someone coming out as gay shouldn't be newsworthy, it shouldn't be warranting a magazine cover or anything like that, which I had as my story for coming out," Kenworthy told CNN.
Rolling Stone's Jerry Portwood asked Kenworthy one question about skiing and then pursued inqueries concerning the athlete's sexuality, his phone, his friendship with Miley Cyrus, and his take on Donald Trump.
"I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability," Kenworthy said.
While Kenworthy hasn't welcomed the media with a tight embrace, he has not denied the position he has been thrust into, and he has expertly articulated his responses.
"I think that the action sports world is very opinionated and there is a very clear line in these sports as to what is cool and what is not cool. And if it's not cool, it's gay," Kenworthy told ESPN in October.
"I've gotten a lot of messages from kids struggling with their identity and sexuality, whether it's because they're in a religious family or a small town or a sport that's not very accepting. I've had a ton of outreach, and I've tried to get back to kids as best I could," Kenworthy told Rolling Stone.
Kenworthy will compete in the ski big air final on Saturday and the ski slopestyle final on Sunday.
