Meet Tomás González, the Olympic Gymnast Who Just Came Out As Gay

We’d also give Tomás González a gold medal!

Tomás González, an Olympic gymnast from Santiago, Chile, has come out as gay in his newly-published autobiography titled Champion: Lessons, Triumphs, and Falls of an Olympic Gymnast.

After his debut in the 2012 London Olympic Games, where he earned himself a gold medal, González went on to compete in the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At the Pan American Games, he won six medals in the 2007 Rio de Janeiro, 2011 Guadalajara, and 2019 Lima championships.

During an interview with La Tercera, González opened up about coming out in the book. “I suppose it’s no longer an issue. But yes, I’m gay,” he explained. “And if I’m going to make it public, I prefer to do it in this book.”

A report from Outsports notes that González knew he was gay since he was 24 years old. However, coming from a traditional family didn’t help him accept his sexual orientation right away. In the autobiography, the athlete recalled times when a coach called him a “f*ggot” and spoke candidly about sacrificing his mental health for the purpose of competing at the Olympics.

As he now nears retirement from sports, González is finally able to live in his truth and tell his story in a very honest manner. He is also the founder of the Escuela Tomás González, a gymnastics center in Las Condes, Chile.

Scroll through to see pictures of Tomás González – and make sure to follow him on Instagram at @tomasgonzalez1.