‘Eat Your Heart Out, Pence’: Out Olympians Celebrate 2018 Winter ‘Gaymes’

“#TeamUSGay”

Out Olympians Adam Rippon and Gus Kenworthy celebrated the closing of the 2018 Winter Olympics’ opening ceremony with a message for the LGBTQ community and notoriously anti-LGBT Vice President Mike Pence.

“The #OpeningCeremony is a wrap and the 2018 Winter Olympic Gaymes are officially under way!” Olympic silver medalist and professional skier Gus Kenworthy shared via Instagram, including the photo below. “I feel incredibly honored to be here in Korea competing for the US and I’m so proud to be representing the LGBTQ community alongside this amazing guy! Eat your heart out, Pence. #TeamUSA #TeamUSGay”

Nearly a month ago, U.S. skater Adam Rippon declared that he wouldn’t seek out a Mike Pence meeting after it was announced the vice president had been chosen to lead the American delegation at this year’s games. “You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy?” Rippon asked USA Today Sports.

Following Rippon’s comments, the vice president felt the need to respond. His office advised that Pence “is proud to lead the U.S. delegation to the Olympics and support America’s incredible athletes.”

The commentary also prompted Kenworthy, who followed Rippon to become the second openly out athlete, to advise that Pence “doesn’t send the right message.” He further noted that his inclusion was “unfortunate, but it is what it is.”

Rippon reportedly said this week he was open to meeting with Pence for an open conversation in the future, opting to keep his focus on the games. In a Trump-esque move, Pence has denied his well-documented support for conversion therapy and anti-LGBT track record, labeling the truth “#FAKENEWS.”