Weir began by joking that he grew stubble for the press conference to show that he’s a man, but his tone quickly got serious. As you’ll hear him say in the two clips we’ve embedded, he’s not asking for an apology. He says he believes in free speech and wouldn’t want these men fired for expressing their opinion. (“I’ve heard worse in bathrooms and whatnot about me,” he quipped.) He just wants them to think before they speak — and to imagine the damage they could do to people like him and to generations of children whose parents may not give them the same freedom and support his did if they think their child will only be ridiculed for being who he or she is. “I would challenge anyone to question my upbringing and question my parents’ ideals and feelings about bringing up me and my brother, who’s completely different from me but taught very much the same way that I was,” Weir said. (The conviction in his voice during that statement had to have made his parents as proud as any medal he could’ve won.)

There’s a reason he’s calling attention to the situation: “Even my gender has been questioned. I want that to be public because I don’t want 50 years from now more young boys and girls to have to go through this sort of thing and to have their whole life basically questioned for no reason other than to make a joke and to make people watch their television program,” he said. He summed up his message — ”I hope more kids can grow up the same way that I did and more kids can feel the freedom that I feel to be themselves and to express themselves” — and his belief that the concepts of masculinity and femininity are old-fashioned. “There’s a whole generation of people that aren’t defined by their sex or their race or by who they like to sleep with. I think as a person you know what your values are and what you believe in, and I think that’s the most important thing.”

Thanks, P-C.

Bless him, bless his heart and his mind and bless his parents for doing such an incredible job with him and his brother.

I was worried about all that pain and then not seeing anything from you.

Thanks -t. Yeah, I passed out (in the fell asleep hard in bed way) for a while and when I woke up the scary pain had passed leaving the normal pain (which also sucks, but is more familiar and deal-able) in its wake. I might even go downstairs to the couch! Hmm, maybe tomorrow.

I just read the comments on that story. I think he handled the situation well, but I really don't like anyone too much if he says he "doesn't care about animals". I hope he didn't really say that, because I'd have to "really not care about Johnny Weir."

Not that it would matter to him.

Weir is indeed a class-act there.

When I was growing up I loved skating almost as much as I loved swimming. If I hadn't been so shy, I would have probably gotten to know some of the figure skaters in town a bit more.

Who knows, maybe I would have gotten good enough exercise to be thinner for my childhood.

I've mentioned before about how I was skating the whole lake in the center of town when the big snowstorm hit. I like a big stage.

ION?

Andi and I found blood oranges for 99 cents a pound at the grocery store today. I have one right here by my keyboard...

He probably did, in response to PETA harassing him over fur trim on costumes. Again, mouthy diva at times.

Though, mouthy diva who DID used to be an equestrian as a lad and at least likes or liked large animals: [link]

(OMG, he looks like SUCH A BABY there!)

Yeah, I'd be pissed if PETA were harrassing me, too. I hate that organization and think they do way more harm then good.

PETA was doing some hard-core harassment leading up to the Olympics. In their typically disgusting fashion.

Blood orange no longer by keyboard.

Hey, blood orange seeds. How long to a fully producing blood orange tree?

These are apparently Moro variety blood oranges.

How many sentences can I write with the phrase "blood oranges' in them?

PETA was doing some hard-core harassment leading up to the Olympics. In their typically disgusting fashion.

Rumor has it they were physically threatening him, causing him to change his plans at the last minute from staying in a hotel to the Olympic Village, where protection was easier to come by.