I lived my childhood in rural Pennsylvania so didn't experience it at first because I lived in a satellite sort of town. There was not a lot of outside influence and everyone knew each other. It was a utopian way to grow up. I could run through the forest without a care in the world. That was a beautiful way to grow up.

When I moved to Delaware to pursue figure skating I went to my first real integrated school with African-American kids, Muslim kids, Jewish kids—all those different people who had no idea who I was [started] bullying because I was different. I was tiny. I was pale. I didn't go to school the whole day because I had to go skating and train. Everyone knew what I was doing as a figure skater and, of course, you get bullied for doing those things. I never got sad when I was called the f-word or a name. I am not a person that cries over those things. I get stronger. I always come back fighting and I don't know why that it. It is my defense mechanism. When someone wants to belittle me then I come back 10 times harder so that I can be the one that laughs last. I don't let it effect me in a negative way.



http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=30675

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