Johnny Weir and Perez Hilton, How Recent Gay Suicides Changed Each

Johnny Weir, the three-time United States ice skating champion has openly admitted he's gay and is doing so now for several reasons including wanting to help others who are also gay. In his new book, "Welcome To My World" Weir talks about his sexuality and explains why he avoided confirming it until now.

Weir has also talked with People Magazine about his sexuality in their January 17 issue and his decision to confirm that he's gay. "Welcome To My World" hits shelves on January 11.

From an excerpt in Weir's book, he states that he never confirmed reporter's questions about his sexual orientation because of his distaste of labels

Just last year during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Weir was once again questioned about his sexuality and he refused to answer and said that he wanted people simply to see him "for who I am, not what I am."

However, with the recent rash of gay suicides among young male teens especially in late 2010, Weir was compelled to admit his sexuality once and for all. Weir said, "With people killing themselves and being scared into the closet, I hope that even just one person can gain strength from my story."

Additionally, Weir wrote "All the gay websites couldn't figure out why I was such a jerk that I wouldn't talk about it. But pressure is the last thing that would make me want to 'join' a community. ... The massive backlash against me in the gay media and community only made me dig my 'closeted' heels in further."

In a similar vein, online gossiper Perez Hilton was also affected by the gay suicides, especially when Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge on September 22, 2010 upon learning a sexual encounter he had with another male had been streamed live on the internet. (Click here for more on that story.)

It was at that point Hilton felt compelled to take a good hard look at himself.

Hilton, who is gay, spoke to Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show back in October, stating, "Over the last two weeks I have been doing everything I can to bring awareness to the teen suicides and gay bullying. In doing so, a lot of people have called me a hypocrite and a bully myself and a big one ... From now on I really want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem."

Sources: http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=ap-weir-book, http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11866446 , http://www.popeater.com/