5 (Yes, 5) Snowboarders Came Out of the Closet in the Past Few Weeks

These 5 snowboarders are all proudly and publicly living their truths!

Coming out is never an easy thing to do no matter who you are, but it can be especially difficult if you're part of the professional sporting world, especially since there is still a large culture of homophobia in many different fields of sports.

That's why seeing so many professional snowboarders (5 in the past few weeks alone!) publicly and openly speak out about their sexualities and come out of the closet for the world to see is so important—and we love to see it! 

We knew this year's Pride season was a busy one, but hey, the more the merrier! 

Tanner Pendleton

In a June interview with Torment, snowboarder and filmmaker Tanner Pendleton opened up about his sexuality and revealed that he is gay.

"The narrative in action sports tends to be, 'It’s okay to be queer as long as you rip and present as masculine,'" Pendleton, who is believed to be the first male in the snowboarding industry to come out, told Out about why he wanted to publicy share his identity with the world. "The more stories we hear, the closer that moves to, 'It’s okay to be queer, because it’s okay to be queer.' I wanted to share my story to move our community in that direction."

 

 

 

 

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swipeCheck out @torment_mag all week and forever! Thanks @no_hope_no_harm @ian_boll @marty_mcstark and all my friends and family.

A post shared by Tanner Pendleton (@tannerpendleton) on Jun 26, 2020 at 7:45am PDT

Jill Perkins

"My sexuality falls short of a definition," snowboarder Jill Perkins, who didn't specifically define her sexuality, told Torment. "It’s not one way or the other. I enjoy getting to know and love people."

She continued:

"I feel like I just recently started to accept myself and my feelings. I wasn’t necessarily fighting them; I just never fully embraced them. That being said, it took time for sure. But that’s important. Nobody should feel forced into situations or feel like they need to express themselves in ways they aren’t ready to."

 

 

 

 

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The current state of the world has left me puzzled. I have been thinking to myself, “how can I help in the most genuine way possible”.. and I decided that speaking up on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community is one thing I feel is personally genuine. I am here to share my story in hopes of helping myself and others feel more confident in themselves and that we are all in this together. Life can be crazy- but we all go through it and we all have the right to love and make it the best we can. @torment_mag created a platform and is using it do some really great things. I put a link in my bio where you can read an interview I did, a long with interviews from @tannerpendleton @kenned1deck and @blackhydrant. Thank you @marty_mcstark and @torment_mag for creating a a space where our stories can be shared

A post shared by Jill Perkins (@jill_perkins) on Jun 28, 2020 at 2:36pm PDT

Chad Unger

"It's a good day to be gay," deaf snowboarder Chad Unger said in a July Instagram post about the coming out interviews he and his peers did with Torment. (Chad did his interview in sign language via a video). "I hope our stories will help others to come out and be free sooner. I also want to recognize that there are BIPOC out there who need us more than ever. Despite being deaf and gay, I’ve lived an incredibly privileged life. So, I ask you to come and fight for their rights like how they fought with us for ours."

 

 

 

 

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It is a good day to be gay. Two years ago today, I wouldn’t have said that. Head over to @torment_mag for the full interview video. The link is also in my bio. Thank you @torment_mag for creating this space where @tannerpendleton, @kenned1deck, @jill_perkins, @jakekuzyk, and I can tell our stories. None of this would have been possible without any of you. I hope our stories will help others to come out and be free sooner. I also want to recognize that there are BIPOC out there who need us more than ever. Despite being deaf and gay, I’ve lived an incredibly privileged life. So, I ask you to come and fight for their rights like how they fought with us for ours. Love y’all, happy pride photo: @concretesneaks, video: @tannerpendleton

A post shared by @ blackhydrant on Jul 1, 2020 at 2:04pm PDT

Kennedi Deck

"I knew I was gay when I was 13," Kennedi Deck recalled, telling Torment. "I never really knew anything about gay people, and I sort of just thought everyone liked everyone. I was mistaken. The first person I ever told was my childhood best friend. Swinging on the swing at our elementary school I blurted out the words, 'I’M GAY.' To my surprise, he didn’t care at all. He even thought it was cool, ‘cause we had one more thing in common: girls."

 

 

 

 

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So proud of all my friends for sharing their stories this week with @torment_mag its not always easy to have these conversations hopefully after this week that changes. If anyone wants to reach out for support or to continue conversations please do. love you all. @blackhydrant @jakekuzyk @jill_perkins @tannerpendleton

A post shared by Kennedi Deck (@kenned1deck) on Jun 30, 2020 at 2:50pm PDT

Jake Kuzyk

"I always wondered what this moment in my life would look like," Jake Kuzyk wrote on Instagram. "I guess it looks like this! I’m very proud to be gay!"

"It seemed so difficult to be openly gay and have this career, these friends, and all the interests that came along with that. I felt like if I started to show this part of myself—that becomes really scary because you just don’t know what’s gonna happen," he told Torment about the sometimes difficult journey in recognizing and accepting his sexuality. "When you’re alone thinking about this shit all the time, you develop really wild ideas of what it might look like and what could happen. My career has always moved in this positive forward direction. So I was afraid to risk damaging that. I didn’t want to sacrifice what I already had."

 

 

 

 

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I always wondered what this moment in my life would look like. I guess it looks like this! I’m very proud to be gay! And to finally open up about it. An interview with @marty_mcstark @tannerpendleton and @ian_boll is now up on the @torment_mag website. The chance to share my personal story alongside a really special group of queer people in snowboarding feels perfect. I really hope that this can help push for further acceptance and understanding in our community for LGBTQ+ and all other folks who feel marginalized in this world. To build some space for those who need it. There are many who do. With everything going on right now, It doesn’t feel like the time to be talking about myself. But I know this conversation is important. And it feels like there’s a shift happening. People are really listening. And trying to be better. I hope that this does not distract attention away from the civil unrest and extreme social injustices that the BIPoC community has faced for a very long time. I’ve reconciled with my privilege and how that affects the people in society who are different then me. We think by being a good person it’s enough. But a place needs to be made for those who are on the outside. Just being “fine” with someone’s existence is not enough. If you have learned acceptance for me through my story. I ask you to find that same acceptance for all people in the lgbtq+ community and beyond. No matter who they are or what they look like. Happy Pride #linkinbio Ok, Im hyped.

A post shared by Jake Kuzyk (@jakekuzyk) on Jun 30, 2020 at 12:32pm PDT