Figure skater shrugs off ‘homophobic’ remarks
A flamboyant American figure skater has shrugged off ‘homophobic’ remarks made about him by sports commentators.
Johnny Weir, 25, who competed in the men’s figure skating category at the Winter Olympics, has been the butt of jokes made by a number of commentators in the past week.
Last week, Australian Channel Nine presenters Eddie McGuire and Mick Molloy took aim at his masculinity and pink and black costume, while French sportscasters Claude Mailhot and Alain Goldberg of the RDS network suggested he should take a gender test and that he was a “bad example”.
The Quebec Gay and Lesbian Council has demanded an apology from RDS for the remarks, which it said were “outrageous” and “homophobic”.
Australian Channel Nine has not commented on the accusations on McGuire and Molloy, although it has acknowledged complaints from viewers.
Weir, who is often photographed in sequins, fake flowers and hairpieces, is said to be eccentric and flamboyant, although he has refused to state whether he is gay.
He told one interviewer: “There are some things I keep sacred. My middle name. Who I sleep with. And what kind of hand moisturiser I use.”
He was interviewed by McGuire on Sunday evening in Channel Nine’s Vancouver studio, where he said: “For me, I take everything as a game. I am very laid-back as far as that goes. I like to poke fun at people, there’s no harm with that, it’s all in good fun.”
In response to the ‘gender test’ comments by French presenters Mailhot and Goldberg, he said: “Every little boy should be so lucky as to turn into me. And that’s all I have to say about that.”
Weir finished sixth overall in this year’s contest.
