Gus Kenworthy made history earlier this year as one of the first openly gay athletes to compete for the U.S. in the Winter Olympics. His legacy, however, seems poised to extend well beyond the slopes.
In a new episode of “Fearless,” Kenworthy is introduced to John, a 20-year-old college student from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who credits the athlete with inspiring his own decision to come out as gay.
HuffPost got an exclusive first look at Wednesday’s episode of “Fearless,” which is hosted by body activist and entrepreneur Ashley Graham, via the clip above. In it, Kenworthy reflects on his decision to open up about his sexuality for the first time publicly in a 2015 ESPN The Magazine cover story.
“I knew that, in a way, nothing was gonna change, and at the exact same time, everything was about to change,” the 27-year-old says. “When I actually came out, it was so positive. The reaction was amazing.”
No doubt the full episode of “Fearless” will yield a few more surprises, as John gears up to call his parents at the conclusion of the snippet.
“Fearless” is a new digital series presented by Ellen DeGeneres and hosted by Graham. The first six episodes are aimed at “empowering everyday people to be totally, unapologetically fearless,” according to a press release.
New episodes will be available Wednesdays on Ellen Tube and DeGeneres’ official YouTube channel.