Xu Jingsen, a Chinese pro surfer, has come out and is the nation's first openly gay athlete (according to Outsports).
Xu, or ‘A Sam' as the International Federation of Gay Games calls him, came out on the Chinese social media network Weibo.
Wrote A Sam (loosely translated): “Hello everyone! I am A Sam. I will attend the global Gay Games in Paris, France, in August this year and serve as an ambassador. Coming out is the ultimate measure of our inner courage. Yes, I am gay. We have the right to choose who to love and how to be loved. Gender, age, and skin color are not an embarrassment. We all live under the same sun. Today, I bravely live my truth, and I regard it as the best gift bestowed upon me. If my courage can bring comfort to those who feel lonely and helpless, and encourage everyone to support equality, then everything I do will make more sense. Thank you friends!”
Writes The Gay Games: “The Gay Games Ambassadors are an international group of prominent individuals supporting the goals and principles of the Gay Games. As our first Gay Games Ambassador from Asia, we are very pleased both for A Sam and for our organisation and movement. This visibility of our having a professional Chinese athlete as a Gay Games Ambassador has the potential to positively impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of LGBT+ people in mainland China, the rest of Asia and across the world.”
