Chilean artistic gymnast Tomás González is the latest in a long line of athletes who have come out recently.
The award-winning gymnast, who competed in the last three Summer Olympic Games, came out as gay in his recently released autobiography, Campeó (or Champion in English).
“I guess it’s not a topic anymore, but yes, I’m gay,” he said in an interview with the Spanish website El Desconcierto, as reported by Queerty. “If it’s about making it public, I prefer to do it in this book.”
González, who is now 36, said he realized he was gay when he was in his 20s, but admitted it took him a long time to come to terms with his sexuality and be willing to speak about it publicly.
“I cried a lot those days,” he said. “I was in the process of coming to terms with myself as a homosexual and I felt that a part of me was dying, too.”
After years of hiding his sexuality, González began to feel like he was being crushed under the weight of his secret.
“After London [2012 Olympic Games], I said, ‘I can’t take it anymore, it’s doing me harm, I’ve gotten this far with him, but I’m not enjoying gymnastics or my accomplishments,” he wrote in his book.
Despite these feelings, the gymnast took home his first Olympic medal in 2012 when he placed fourth in the floor exercise and horse vault at the London Olympics. In 2016 he went on to finish seventh in the horse vault at the Rio Games.
He has also won nine medals at World Cup events, including four golds, and he’s taken home six medals at Pan American Games and seven at the South American Games. He was also ranked World No. 1 in floor and vault for the first time in 2011.
While the process of coming out may have been difficult for González, he’s glad to see that things seem to be changing for younger generations.
“In the end, one grows up in a normal hetero society that still conditions you,” he said. “Today I am glad that things are normalizing. In this sense, one still sees the new generations as much more determined, perhaps they do not have this burden of religions that have greatly influenced society.”
More and more athletes have been coming out in recent years — there were at least 186 out athletes at the 2020 Tokyo Games — but Caitlin Rooskrantz of South Africa was the only gymnast.
González said that conservative gender norms and ideas about sexuality are still alive and well in the sport. “Machismo and homophobia are problems that are in society and in gymnastics too,” he said.
The Olympian was nervous to come out to the world, but realized it was important to be vocal about who he is and what he believes in.
“We all work, we pay taxes, we all have a role in society. So, I want to have the same rights as any citizen,” he said. “Regardless of any sexual orientation, we all have to have the same rights.”
Welcome to the fam Tomás!
Keep scrolling to see the steamy photos the gymnast posts on Instagram!
