The Hill reports:
Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon skipped the Team USA visit to the White House on Friday, following through on a vow he made earlier this year. Rippon said in January that he did not think he would be “welcome” at the Trump White House because he is gay.
Rippon said that in lieu of the visit, he would make donations to Planned Parenthood, GLAAD and the Red Cross, and encouraged his Twitter followers to do the same. Other athletes, including freeskier Gus Kenworthy, the second openly gay American to be named to a Winter Olympic team, also skipped the Friday visit.
Olympians from the 2018 Games have been invited to go to the White House today. I will not be going. I will not stand with people who discriminate against those that they perceive as different. In lieu of going to DC, I have donated to a few of my favorite causes ??♂️❤️ https://t.co/qDXqswTHdF
— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018
My first donation is to @glaad. I love to be partnered with them and will continue to work together to help empower LGBTQ youth. https://t.co/g9cVJfREUc
— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018
Another donation is to @PPFA. They provide many different affordable health care services and have helped so many different people. https://t.co/9fYu1X49N8
— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018
I’ll also be making a donation to the @RedCross to help with the work they do to provide disaster relief. https://t.co/hocEjeveGq
— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018
If you want to join me and you’re able to give a little, go for it! I think when we’re able to help each other out and do what we can to lift each other up, that’s when we’re truly making America great ??
— Adam Rippon (@Adaripp) April 27, 2018