American Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir was once determined never to discuss his private life or sexuality in the press. There was plenty of speculation about his orientation, but he didn't wish to dignify it with a response. It was reading the stories of others that changed his mind; he realized that he could use his profile to help others to become comfortable with who they were.
Reading a story about the suicide of a teenage boy who couldn't come out of the closet was the final straw for Weir. He came out in 2011 and said he was doing so in the hope that it would bring strength to just one person. He retired from the sport after a hip injury in 2013, but has since gone into fashion design, although he still commentates on skating for television on occasion.