US Olympian Gus Kenworthy to headline DNC LGBTQ gala

Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy will headline the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) LGBTQ gala this summer. 

Kenworthy told ABC News that he would attend the event in New York City as a special guest, in defiance of what he called President Trump’s attacks on LGBTQ people.

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the DNC at their LGBTQ Gala this Pride season,” he said. “Over the last year, the Trump-Pence administration has pushed our community to the sidelines, attacking us for who we are and who we love.”

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“It’s time we take a stand against this administration by electing representatives this upcoming November who actively support and believe in equality for everyone,” he added.

Kenworthy, who took silver in the 2014 Winter Olympics, is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ causes. He was among a handful of Olympic athletes who skipped a visit to the White House after the games.

The DNC’s LGBTQ gala is typically one of the party’s top-performing fundraising events. Last year’s gathering was headlined by former Vice President Joe Biden.