Throwing Shade At Johnny Weir’s ‘You have to respect the culture’ Comments

<p>It seems as though the go to gay for all things Olympics has started to feel the cold from the shoulder the gay community is giving him.</p> <p>by Newsdesk | 27th October 2013</p><p></p><p> </p><p><img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4600892280.png" width="460" height="304" alt="Johnny Weir | Dan Leville via Wikipedia" title="Johnny Weir | Dan Leville via Wikipedia"/></p> <p></p><p>The figure skater Johnny Weir has had a fair bit to say about the anti-gay agenda in <a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/tags/Russia">Russia</a>, but it seems as though he won't be making any political statements whilst he's in Sochi covering the Sochi Winter Olympics for NBC in 2014.</p><p></p><p>In an interview with The New York Times Weir said:</p><p></p><p>'I risk jail time just going there, but the Olympics are not the place to make a political statement. I’m not a politician and I don’t really talk about politics. You don’t have to agree with the politics, but you have to respect the culture of a country you are visiting… It’s pretty obvious that I’ve been gay my whole life. I don’t need to break any laws or wear a rainbow pin to show people that I support gay rights. I think I’ll do that just by being in Sochi and supporting our people there and know they are not alone.'</p><p></p><p>Comments from the <a href="http://www.queerty.com/johnny-weir-wont-speak-out-against-russias-antigay-laws-while-covering-the-olympics-for-nbc-20131025/">Queerty users</a> seem to think that he's a sell out and a hypocrite.</p><p></p><p>Earlier in the week Weir announced his retirement from figure skating.</p><p></p><p>Weir has been a strong supporter of not boycotting anything Russian <a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/NEWS-Gay-Bars-In-Leeds-Dump-Russian-Vodka-In-Time-For-Leeds-Pride/6235908">including Vodka</a>.</p><p></p><p>'It’s pretty obvious that I’ve been gay my whole life. I don’t need to break any laws or wear a rainbow pin to show people that I support gay rights. I think I’ll do that just by being in Sochi and supporting our people there and know they are not alone.</p><p></p><p>'The gay community has not reacted well to me because some people think it’s my responsibility to be an activist. They’re expecting me to hate Russia because I haven’t been given equal rights in Russia.'</p><p></p><p>So what do you think, is Weir selling out or does he have a point?</p><p> </p>