Exclusive: Olympian Gun Kenworthy says it's 'a blessing to live my life': 'I'm proud of it'

when Gus Kenworthy came out as gay in 2015, he wasn’t sure how people would react to the news. Luckily, the Olympian, who retired this year, feels like a million bucks and has the support of others along the way.

“It’s been such a blessing for me to be able to live my life and be openly gay. I’m proud of that and I can celebrate that. I’m also celebrated for that when brands want to partner with me. I remember when I came out or when I was thinking about it, I was scared of losing all my sponsors because no one had ever skied before,” the 31-year-old recounts exclusively Morning honey while talking about acting in Amazon Essentials‘ new Fall/Winter 2022 campaign in which he is self-directed.

“Even though it wasn’t that long ago, there was still less representation than now,” she adds. “I remember being afraid of losing sponsors and partnerships because everything is based around your image. I was like, ‘Oh, God, what if I lose all this stuff?’ This is my livelihood.’ It’s so funny to think back because it was just the opposite. It has opened me up to more brand possibilities and so many companies, lines and products want someone who represents what they want, who is an authentic story.”

It can be tough being a role model all the time, but the athlete is embracing this time in his life. “I recognize the platform that I have and I absolutely want to use it. I want to talk causes I believe in. I want to be a good example to anyone who looks at me and maybe goes through the same struggles that I did,” she notes.

Kenworthy may have to take the opportunities that come his way, which is why he was more than excited to partner with Amazon Essentials in their Fall/Winter 2022 campaign, which also features a two-time Olympic gold medalist Cloe Kimfamily and lifestyle influencer Alyssa Fluellen and health and fitness influencers Cleopatra Lee.

“If you had told me now that I was going to partner with Amazon Essentials and campaign with them, I would have said, ‘What?’ It seems a little serendipitous how it all worked out, I couldn’t be happier and I feel like I take modeling seriously because I want to represent the LGBTQ+ community and be a beacon of light. I know it sounds corny, but I want to be a good example to anyone who needs guidance,” she says.

Even Kenworthy couldn’t help but gush about how the company fits into his world.

“What I love about Amazon is that I use it in my everyday life, and there’s such ease,” she shares. “You can order everything you need from home, it arrives quickly and it’s easy to return. Everything is so simple. This campaign was pretty much the same. I was somewhat in charge of my own creative vision and style. I got to pick out a bunch of different things from their Essentials line. I set up my shoot at home and had total control over it. It was really fun and felt true to my experiences with Amazon.”

She adds, “I picked things that looked exactly like things that are already in my closet or things that I wish I had. There were a couple of photos that looked like a studio shot and the rest was me on the bridge with my dogs he wears a rugby sweater. It felt very natural to me.”