Sports: Gus Kenworthy and Boyfriend Matthew Wilkas Share Historic Olympic Kiss
(Photo Credits: NBC via Twitter)
Not only did American freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy fail to repeat his win in Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014, he also finished last. That, on top of a broken thumb, which he fractured three days before the competition. And as if the fracture wasn’t enough, Gus had a bad fall during training the next day where he sustained a bruise on his hip so bad it caused a hematoma and several vials of blood had to be drained from it.
But while he may not have won an Olympic medal in PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games’ Men’s Ski Slopestyle, Gus and his boyfriend Matthew Wilkas are currently winning hearts and mind.
Right before the qualifying round for the ski slopestyle event on Sunday, the couple shared a kiss at the bottom of the hill. The kiss, followed by a hug, was so fast it didn’t even last for a second but naturally, it didn’t escape the attention of NBC and captured the moment.
Watching @guskenworthy kiss his boyfriend at the #WinterOlympics makes me so #proud 💪💜🏳️🌈🇺🇸🏅⛷ #TeamUSA #TeamUSGay pic.twitter.com/77swMGCoSn
— Tim (@90sKidMutant) February 18, 2018
The couple trended online as netizens react over at Twitter and various other social media. Check out some of the tweets below.
@guskenworthy Thank you Gus for doing the impossible. It wasn’t gold, but you will be remembered for that tender kiss with Matt. Keep breaking down those barriers. You are a model ambassador for the youth of our community. Couldn’t be prouder.
— Scott A. Kleinert (@skleinert) February 18, 2018
A kiss from his boyfriend from the top of the slope and a wave of rainbow flags at the bottom! Gus Kenworthy, you’re making so many LGBT Americans so very proud of you!!! 🏳️🌈🇺🇸 #Olympics #ItsGusBitch
— Rusty Hatchell (@rustyhatchell) February 18, 2018
Watching @guskenworthy kiss his boyfriend at the #Olympics “It’s something I was too scared to do for myself. To be able to do that, to give him a kiss, to have that affection broadcast to the world, is incredible. pic.twitter.com/jOkVWRtlsn #GusKenworthy
— Gigi 🏳️🌈🐾 (@GigiFrisby) February 18, 2018
2018. One of the big four networks shows an out and proud Olympic athlete kiss his boyfriend. Thank you @guskenworthy @MattWilkas @NBCOlympics.
I can’t wait to see an NFL player do that. #LoveOverBias— Wolfgang 🏳️🌈 (@Golden_Gaytime) February 18, 2018
So much love for @guskenworthy and his partner for smashing down barriers and being the first same-sex couple to kiss live at the #WinterOlympics 🌈❤️ pic.twitter.com/FWdrXEs4ut
— Tom Knight (@TJ_Knight) February 18, 2018
“As much as I look forward to the day when queer kisses can be as ho-hum and apolitical as non-queer kisses; as long as they still aren’t, we must continue to keep kissing, telling our stories & being whoever we are without offering excuses or apologies.” https://t.co/v57bCOdD2l
— James Michael (@JMN) February 18, 2018
Matthew Wilkas would later describe the kiss to Associated Press as “such a little kiss.” And it was, but that they could do it freely and without hesitation was why netizens were making such a big deal out of it. “If I’d have known it was a big deal, I’d have made out with him,” Wilkas joked.
For his part, Gus said the kiss was something he wanted to do in Sochi but that he decided against it, mostly because he wasn’t ready and he wasn’t out to his family and friends yet. Later, in an interview, he said, “And so to be able to do that, to give him a kiss, to have that affection broadcasted for the world is incredible.”
The kiss that wasn’t: Gus Kenworthy reflects on his decision not to kiss his then-boyfriend at the end of his final run in Sochihttps://t.co/sRTFBnyvsj
— NBC Out (@NBCOUT) January 17, 2018
There is something special about seeing @NBCOlympics coverage of @guskenworthy that makes me feel whole. His boyfriend, their kiss, his family with the pride flags. Love is love. #olympics #love
— Tofer (@tofertoast) February 18, 2018
Thoughts? Share it with us in the comments section below.
Shhhhh! I bet they fuck too!!
That was more of a Peck than a Kiss! I’m not sure if we’re going to get any social advance out of that small Peck.
A full, 2 or 3 second kiss would show more but I guess we should be happy with whatever we can get!
What a great liberating day it will be when all Olympic athletes will be able to compete in their sport without having to bear the heavy burden yolk of things such as their sexuality. A time when like other athletes they can focus all of the mental enregies on their sport without any political or social drain.
Oh wait. That is what the Olympics have always been about.
of course, your comment doesn’t surprise me.
I bet Mike Pence fell off his chair and saw red.
I remember a gymnastics competition decades ago, when a Russian gymnast went to hug his lifelong teammate and their lips brushed as their heads passed each other for the bear squeeze. I was surprised no furor arose over that. It moved me, as this moves me.
I hope the day comes when people will realize that love is about spirits, not genders. And there’s nothing more unconditional than a brief, spontaneous, non-licentious sharing of caring, without regard to opinions. Truly uplifting!
Thanks for your comment R, I feel the same.
The Olympics are not the venue for one to promote a personal gay agenda. The games are about athletes competing on an international stage united for their countries…period. The added distraction of his personal entourage waving rainbow flags was embarrassing. A last place finish was fitting.
Huh???
I’m just happy for them, period, their since of freedom, and that, is what that kiss meant and was a declaration of.
It’s just a kiss what’s historic about that maybe it’s monumental to them but it means nothing to me why do we have to make everything such I big deal when it’s not that could be why so many are still not embraced stop publicing things and just act natural and let it be that’s it do we make a big deal when two straight people kiss no we don’t so let’s not do it for gays either
Why? Because certain gays love attention and drama.
NBC never would have broadcast this “historic” event if they felt it would have been taken as controversial and would have a negative impact on advertising revenues. Militant gays will cite it as ever so *!HISTORIC!*. Anti-gays will not change their minds. People in between those two won’t care.
In the end, it does show the tremendous progress that has been made in the last 2 to 3 decades. It’s a great thing many people don’t care! We can only hope the “get over it” (in your face) crowd doesn’t cause people to become actively tired of the drama- and attention-whoring and say “enough is enough”.
Says professor Hunter0500, aka mister know it all!
Another “splendid” comment, #908, and still a negative comment. Soon you will get an Olympic Gold medal.
Increased acceptance of gays is negative?
uh?
Does Johnny Weir in his “Darkside Geisha Girl High Hair” dress really expect that what comes out of his mouth while on NBC’s cameras should be taken as “subject matter expert” level by people in general? How about he dress as professionally as his other male and female reporters so there’s no distraction/confusion? If he wants equality, he should behave with equality, not as an attention whore.
He and Tara always dress in matching outfit and Johnny is known for exuberant outfits from his past life as a high level figure skater. I don’t think the young generation cares about what Johnny wears or his makeup or the way he talks. I’m happy that young folks go pass this and see him as an expert, because he is, they probably don’t focus on superficial things like what hair he has or what outfit he is wearing and won’t probably discuss about it, or bash him, especially not on a gay blog, as this is a place of tolerance where everyone can be who they want.
Just sayin’
Dave
Funny how you call me “professor” and then claim to know how all young people think. Age has little to do with acceptance. Gay bullying is a huge issue for school systems.
Just sayin’
Yes that bullying you’re making on your comments here you’re referring to?
So about your intolerance for and bullying of anyone who doesn’t lock step to your narrow definition of gays … fashion-minded, diva-adoring, mostly younger, pretty boys, with little racial or ethnic variations, non-religous, and with a deep lean toward the Left?
Gays come in a variety of ages, builds, looks, races, ethnicities, with varied affections for clothing, music, lifestyles, politics, religions … and the list goes on.
My posts often focus on moving past the stereotypes and promoting the truth that gays are as diverse as anyone else. Promoting only the stereotype is harmful to acceptance. Other posters do the same. This often results in your undies bundling followed by a spew of intolerance and hate.
No sorry, I’m very open to all opinions, I even congratulates others who have various opinion, see previous posts. It’s the tone that you use to describe your opinion, like you own the truth when obviously you don’t. I actually find it amazing that people have different opinions about fashion, music, figure skating commentator’s looks or if an Olympian kisses his bf or not etc, but its all in the way people say it. Maybe being polite and to respect others is not your thing, I don’t know… Sometimes it is better not to say anything I think.
My BF and I kiss all the time. Why not? nothing wrong with it.