Olympic Figure Skater Johnny Weir Marries in New York

Flamboyant Olympic figure skater and "Be Good Johnny Weir" TV star Johnny Weir married his boyfriend Victor Voronov on Tuesday, Jan. 3, reports Reuters. A New York City Courthouse was the site of the legal same-sex marriage. Weir, 27, has competed in two Winter Olympics, but is sitting out the 2011-2012 figure skating season. Voronov, 28, graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center.

According to People magazine, they will go by their married name Weir-Voronov though Johnny Weir is still his professional name. The openly gay figure skater is known for his unique costumes sometimes referred to as "Lady Gaga on ice," states Newser. Weir is not the only openly gay male figure skater. There are some former National, Olympic and World Champion skaters.

Rudy Galindo -- U.S.

Jon Jackson, an openly gay figure skating judge, according to Outsports.com, states it is "the gayest sport in America." In 1996 Galindo was the first Olympic level skater to come out publicly. Now he's a skating coach in his hometown of San Jose, California since 2007, reports IceNetwork.com. During his competition and tour skating careers he was a former U.S. Men's National Champion and a bronze medalist at the World Championships. Galindo then toured with "Champions on Ice."

Randy Gardner -- U.S.

The 1979 World Championship pairs skaters of Randy Gardner and Tai Babilonia had to withdraw from the 1980 Winter Olympics just before taking the ice. Gardner suffered a groin injury. It led to one of the most disappointing moments in sports history. No U.S. pairs skaters had ever won a World Championship before or since, states the Los Angeles Times. In 2006 Gardner told Scene magazine he was gay. He also found out he was later adopted and searched for his birth mother. Now Gardner, 53, is a choreographer and coach, while no longer skating professionally.

John Curry -- Great Britain

Right before the 1976 Winter Olympics, Curry mentioned he is gay at a press conference with little notice, according to Seattle Gay News. The British skater went on to win the Olympic gold medal in the men's singles figure skating event. Considered the "Nureyev of the Ice", states The Guardian, his style of skating was balletic while incorporating vivid musical interpretation and free-range artistry. He went on to a professional skating career. In April 1994 Curry passed away.

Brian Orser -- Canada

ESPN reports, in 1998 Canadian and World Champion skater Brian Orser was revealed as gay by his former boyfriend in a palimony suit. In his affidavit Orser stated he kept his private life secret, while other American and Canadian skaters do the same, because of this very public disclosure may do to their careers. He toured for many years in skating shows. Orser now coaches other up and coming figure skating champions, states USA Today.

SOURCES:

Be Good Johnny Weir, SundanceChannel.com

Alex Dobuzinski (Reuters), "Olympic skater Johnny Weir marries boyfriend in New York," News.Yahoo.com

Alison Schwartz and Stephen M. Silverman, "Johnny Weir is Married!," People.com

Evann Gastaldo, "Wackiest Men's Figure Skating Outfits," Newser.com

Lorrie Kim, "Gayest Sport in America," Outsports.com

Lois Elfman, "Rudy Galindo thriving as a coach," IceNetwork.com

Helene Elliott, "Tai and Randy's bond is sure and steady off the ice," LATimes.com

Liz Highleyman, "Past Out," SGN.org

Dennis L. Bird, "Obituary: John Curry," Independent.co.uk

The brief history of gay athletes, ESPN.com

Christine Brennan, "Now a coach, Brian Orser still chases Olympic figure skating gold," USAToday.com