I’m Gay: Chilean Olympic Gymnast Tomás González Comes Out In New Autobiography

Chilean Olympic gymnast Tomás González has come out in his recently released autobiography titled Champion: Lessons, Triumphs, and Falls of an Olympic Gymnast.

Talking about coming out with Chilean newspaper La Tercera, González, 36, said, “I suppose it’s no longer an issue. But yes, I’m gay.”

He added, “If it’s about making it public, I prefer to do it in this book.”

Realised He Was Gay When He Was 24

González said he realised he was gay when he was 24 years old, while living with his conservative family. 

“I cried a lot those days. I was in the process of coming to terms with being homosexual and I felt that a part of me was dying too,” he said.

According to Outsports, in the book González talks about the emotional and homophobic abuse he was subjected to while training. He recalled the time his coach called him a “faggot” in a 2007 competition after he fell. 

He explained, “I was willing to sacrifice my mental health in order to get to the Olympic Games.”

Olympic Turning Point

After the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he realised he could live in the closet any longer.

“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.

“We all work, pay taxes, have a role in society,” González said. “So, I want to have the same rights as any citizen. Regardless of any sexual orientation, we all have to have the same rights.”

González competed in the last three Summer Games, after making his debut and winning a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. He went on to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics followed by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Tomas Gonzalez (@tomasgonzalez1)