The American figure skater Johnny Weir was born in 1984 in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Long before Johnny rose to fame as a skating champion and outspoken supporter of LGBT rights and causes, he grew up in Quarryville, often competing in equestrian events. Weir turned to skating at the age of twelve and quickly demonstrating a talent for the sport. The family moved to Newark, Delaware, to bring Johnny closer to his training rink and coach, and Weir began to train more seriously.

Johnny briefly attended the University of Delaware, but dropped out of his studies to focus on his skating future. He scored his first major victory at the age of sixteen at the World Junior Championships in 2001; he then placed sixth in his U.S. Championship debut shortly thereafter. But Johnny’s biggest rise to success was in the 2003-2004 skating season, when he qualified for the U.S. Nationals and won gold at the 2004 U.S. Championships. At the World Championships to follow, he placed fifth. Finally, Johnny Weir went on to win the World bronze medal in 2008.

Johnny Weir became even more famous after he retired from competition, largely due to his flamboyant presence. Weir publicly came out in his memoir, Welcome to my World, in 2011; he cited the series of gay youth suicides throughout the nation as one of the key reasons why he’d decided to disclosed his sexual orientation, although he’d been frequently asked about his orientation for years prior to coming out.

Johnny Weir has appeared in a number of television shows, including: When I Was 17, The Rachel Zoe Project, Say Yes to the Dress, and Rachel vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. He has also served on the broadcasting team for the Sochi Winter Olympics, and he was a judge on the series Skating with the Stars in 2010. Weir is also the subject of the documentary film Pop Star on Ice, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival in 2009 and has aired on the Sundance Channel and LOGO.

Today, Johnny Weir continues to appear as a public personality and fashion designer, having designed ice dancing costumes for a number of skating professionals. He also occupies his time with a number of philanthropic endeavors, including The Trevor Project and his own foundation, the Johnny & Victor Weir-Voronov Scholarship Fund for LGBTQ Youth.

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