グラハム・アッカーマンは『OUT』誌のカヴァーを飾ったことがある。
題して”SPORTS STUD”。
というのも、2005年度全米大学競技会男子体操選手権(NCAA Men’s Gymnastics Championship)で栄冠に輝いたグラハム・アッカーマンは、ゲイであることをカミングアウトしている大学生体操選手だからだ。
What do you make of the assumption that there are many gay gymnasts?
It’s just a stereotype of the sport. Because of the stereotype, I think a lot of straight gymnasts are guarded. It’s been good for my team to be exposed to someone who is gay, because they’ve had to adjust. It’s been a learning experience for so many of us: for teammates, myself, my coaches, my parents.
The assumption that gymnasts are effeminate might come from the fact that there are a lot more famous female gymnasts than male gymnasts out there. Everyone knows Nadia [Comaneci] and Olga Korbut and Mary Lou Retton, but if you ask the average person to name the last five [male] gymnastics all-around champions, no one can do that.
That's amazing. What drew you to gymnastics as opposed to football or one of the gay sports like diving or tennis?
A lot of people consider gymnastics one of the gay sports, but there isn't a ton of gay people that do it. I just taught myself a cartwheel when I was seven, and my mom was like, "Okay, we're putting this kid in the gym." I had way too much energy, and they needed me to get some of it out
グラハム(グレアム)・サミュエル・アッカーマン(Graham Samuel Ackerman)は1983年7月14日生まれ。カリフォルニア大学で政治学を専攻している。
ちなみにアッカーマン選手の得意競技は床運動。2004年に続き2005年も制覇している。2004年は跳馬でもチャンピオンになっている。
- Player Bio:Graham Ackerman [Men's Gaymnastics]
- A Gay Gymnast is Champion Again [Outsports.com]