Coming Out Helped Adam Rippon Pose Nude

The 28-year-old Olympic figure skater and medalist, who became a fan-favorite athlete during the 2018 Winter Olympics, poses nude for ESPN the Magazine's annual Body issue.

Several behind-the-scenes images were released on Thursday. The issue will hit newsstands on June 29. In one photo, he actually skates naked while wearing his skates. In another, he poses and stretches his muscles. (see photo on the left.)

"I couldn't have done this [shoot] while I was in the closet," Rippon, who came out as gay in 2015, told Gayties.com. "I think that, with my experience of coming out, I felt so liberated in so many ways."

"I don't want to say I'll never be in this shape again, but I'll never be in this shape," he said. "I'll be in another shape. This is a milestone of all the work it took me to get to the point to be an Olympic medal-winning figure skater."

Rippon came out publically in 2015 and his refusal to meet with antigay vice president Mike Pence at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea made him an LGBT icon (his bronze medal didn't hurt either).

“I came here being authentically myself and sharing my story and being gay is part of that, but I came here as an American athlete,” Rippon said when he became the first openly gay American athlete to win a medal.

Rippon continued to stay true to his identity as he showed off his toned body during the shoot.

“I don’t want to say I’ll never be in this shape again, but I’ll never be in this shape. I’ll be in another shape,” he said. “This is a milestone of all the work it took me to get to the point to be an Olympic medal-winning figure skater.”

He also went to advocate for figuring skating, noting how the immense amount of strength skaters need to compete is often overlooked. “I don’t think figure skaters get the credit we deserve, but at the same time, that’s our job … the whole point is that it looks really easy,” he noted.

Rippon is among 16 athletes who appear in ESPN the Magazine's Body issue, which marks its 10th anniversary. The others are Olympic track medalist Tori Bowie, Olympic cross-country skiing gold medalist Jessie Diggins, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, Houston Astros pitcher and Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, softball player Lauren Chamberlain, U.S. women's national team soccer player Crystal Dunn, WWE performer Charlotte Flair, L.A. Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, New York Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley, Seattle Storm teammates Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, U.S. women's national team and Seattle Reign forward Megan Rapinoe, NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and golf champion Greg Norman. (Pub 6/24)
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