Vancouver’s community at large, gay and straight, is ahead of the curve, and has much to be proud of, believes Olympic speed skater Blake Skjellerup.
Skjellerup credits Vancouver for helping him find the courage to open up about his sexuality. Skjellerup, 26, said he was still maintaining a non-gay public identity when he competed for New Zealand in the 2010 Olympics.
For years he had struggled, first to come to terms with his sexuality and then to balance his speed-skating ambitions with the risks of coming out: what if he lost the opportunities that he had worked his entire life for? No major gay athlete playing on a professional team has ever come out while still on the team — it’s a huge cultural barrier yet to be overcome.
While Skjellerup was here in 2010, he visited Pride House in Whistler. Pride House was an Olympic first, a place for gay athletes, coaches, friends and participants to gather and socialize. When he was off-ice, he felt free to wander hand-in-hand with his boyfriend, even to occasionally steal a kiss.
It felt fantastic. Not only that: it was safe. No one looked twice.
Skjellerup came out to his family, teammates and the public earlier this year. He said in an interview from Australia, “It felt amazing. I’ve become very confident and proud of who I am.”
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