Adam Rippon says Pope Francis’ pro-gay comments are ‘awesome’
Adam Rippon has led tributes to his friend and fellow Olympic skater Denis Ten in Kazakhstan. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty)
Adam Rippon has praised Pope Francis for his pro-gay comments, saying they are ‘so awesome’ – and that he wants to meet the religious leader.
The US ice skater, who recently became the first openly gay person to win Dancing with the Stars, revealed he is a fan of recent comments Pope Francis made to a gay man subject to clerical sexual abuse.
Juan Carlos Cruz, a survivor of sexual abuse by a prominent Chilean priest, spoke with the Pope earlier this month about his experience.
The discussion of his sexuality arose with the 81-year-old pontiff as Cruz stated that it had been used to discredit his allegations by multiple Chilean bishops, many of whom have now been removed from their posts.
Pope Francis. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty)
According to The Guardian Pope Francis then told Cruz: “Juan Carlos, that you are gay does not matter. God made you like this and loves you like this and I don’t care.
“The pope loves you like this. You have to be happy with who you are.”
Now, speaking to TMZ Sports, Rippon has praised Pope Francis.
“I think that’s so awesome what the Pope said,” Rippon said.
The Olympic medallist then added: “It would be pretty cool to, like, meet him one day.”
The US figure skater won the support of queer hearts across the world during the Winter Olympics with his A-grade sass, and outspoken support of the LGBT community.
Adam Rippon and Jenna Johnson attend ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars: Athletes” Season 26 show on April 30, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
The star recently revealed that he is moving in with his boyfriend Finnish-born realtor Jussi-Pekka Kajaala.
Kajaala, who he met on Tinder while at a skating competition in Finland last year, is moving to the US.
And, speaking to People Magazine, Rippon opened up about their relationship.
When asked about what would happen when his boyfriend arrived, the 28-year-old figure skater said without hesitation: “We’ll live together.
“It’s a whole process to move out here, but I think it’s something that we’re both really looking forward to. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Rippon had to fend off date requests left and right after the Olympics, having had a rather public advance from actress Sally Field on behalf of her gay son.
The pair actually did later meet up, though Rippon added that they’re likely to just be friends.
Rippon has also got involved in activism since his rise to the spotlight, and is currently working with LGBT charity GLAAD on a youth engagement campaign.
Speaking about the campaign, he previously told Ellen DeGeneres: “I’m working with GLAAD’s youth engagement program and you know this is so important because we’re reaching these kids and they’re becoming activists in their community.
“When I was young, to have somebody out there that I could’ve looked up to, it would’ve made a world of difference, and it would’ve changed my life.”
