NBC, HRC, Adam Rippon
Tonight Adam Rippon was honored with the HRC Visibility Award. As the first openly gay winter Olympian and self-dubbed America's sweetheart, he took the podium as if he owned it and shared his message of acceptance, authenticity and fearlessness. It was such an inspiring speech, sprinkled with moments of his signature wry humor that I had to transcribe most of it below.
To see him onstage is to celebrate the fact that tonight he got to be the role model he never had, tonight he got to change the lives of countless kids and teens.
I can remember the first time I shared with someone I was gay and I could feel this huge weight being lifted off of my shoulders. I felt reborn. I like to talk about my coming out because coming out has been the most liberating experience of my life. I hope that everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, has their own coming-out experience. When you can share who you are with the world, you will find great power.
I learned that being gay isn't special. You are not special because you are gay. What makes I look the people I look up to so incredible and so special is what they offer to the world. I feel what truly makes someone special is the way they treat others, their work ethic and their bravery in being honest.
When I was little, I used to care so much about what others thought of me. I was mindful of the way I dressed, my mannerisms, the way I talked. I was afraid people would think I was weak. I was afraid of making mistakes. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be welcomed by the LGBTQ community because someone like me wouldn’t be the role model they were looking for. Maybe I was too gay and maybe I was just too myself. Throughout my life, I have fallen short many times. I have felt depressed, I felt not good enough, and I felt like there would never be a day where I would feel like I belong. I was living life afraid.
I remember hearing the quote, ‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’ I remember really hearing it, and honestly asking myself, ‘What would I do differently?' I remember making the choice to be unafraid. I made the choice to not care what others thought of who I was. I was going to be truly me. This was the biggest and most important decision I’d ever made: To live fearlessly. To take risks. To let go of my fear of what others may think of me, and to always keep learning. You will find that you will have your greatest success when you wear your scars proudly. Don't be afraid to try something new. If you make a mistake, learn from it. There's no shame in not being perfect, nobody's perfect.
Through my shortcomings and from my successes, I’ve learned that a champion is more than a medal. It’s a mindset. Being a champion is being a role model. I learned that you can be a role model by just being yourself and living your best life.
It's so important that we listen to each other with an open heart and open mind. You change someone's mind by sharing your story. You can make someone's day by getting them to laugh. But we can change someone's life by showing them compassion.
I've learned how important it is to surround yourself with people who love you unconditionally. I've learned how important it is to surround yourself with people who challenge push you to be the best version of yourself. I used to be afraid to share my authentic self with the world, but today when I walk into a room, I know I'm a star.
No matter where you have come from or where you are going to, there is someone who looks up to you, and they will find inspiration in your strength of just being yourself. Be a role model, and never forget that you can be someone’s champion. You are a winner. When we all come together, we can change the world.
You can see the complete video of his acceptance speech here.