Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Adam Rippon Blasts Fellow Olympic Figure Skater Who Called LGBTQ+ People 'Earth's Mistake'

Adam Rippon Blasts Fellow Olympic Figure Skater Who Called LGBTQ+ People 'Earth's Mistake'
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for GLAAD; Natalia Fedosenko\TASS via Getty Images

Out gay Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon has drawn thunderous internet applause for taking a stand against bigotry.

After a fellow skater made shockingly anti-LGBTQ+ comments on Instagram, Rippon shut him all the way down—and put his money where his mouth is to boot, with a sizable donation to a trans-advocacy organization.


The incident erupted in the wake of an Instagram post from Russian figure skater Alexei Yagudin in response to Rippon donating to The Okra Project, an organization that serves the Black Trans community.

Yagudin posted (in Russian) a since-deleted Instagram post and Instagram Story. He called transgender people and/or people like Rippon (translations vary) "Earth's mistake" and asked "When will you die?"

Here is Yagudin's Instagram post:

trycatch1/Reddit

Here is Yagudin's Instagram story:

trycatch1/Reddit

Rippon fired right back on Twitter with a scathing take-down and, to sweeten the deal, a hefty second donation to The Okra Project.

This time, on Yagudin's behalf.

But Rippon didn't stop there, going on to address his experiences with widespread bigotry in the sports world.

"There are so many homophobic, transphobic, and racist people in sports and it will not be tolerated. It doesn't matter how well respected they might be in their own sport. If they are hateful, they suck."

Yagudin apologized for his comments, but Rippon went on record that he wasn't here for that either.

"He apologized but I don't accept it. He can take his apology, homophobia, transphobia, racist comments, and his Olympic gold medal and shove them up his a$$."

And just in case there was any remaining confusion about where Rippon's loyalties lie, he ended his thread with a powerful statement of solidarity.

On Twitter, people were firmly on Team Rippon, applauding him for standing up to Yagudin's horrifying comments.








And some Russians spoke out to make sure it was absolutely clear that Yagudin doesn't represent all of them.


Rippon also addressed the Russian skating community in an Instagram video he created in response to Yagudin.

"To my LGBT+ plus family in Russia, in sports and everywhere, I just want you to know that you are perfect just the way you are, and don't let anyone try and convince you otherwise."


As of this writing, Yagudin has refrained from any further comment.

More from News/lgbtq

Meteorologist's Reaction Goes Viral After Tornado Hits Station During Live Weather Report

Meteorologist's Reaction Goes Viral After Tornado Hits Station During Live Weather Report

There's predicting the weather, then there's being in it.

Meteorologists are often seen either right in the middle of a weather event, soaking wet in a raincoat or huddled under a parka, or inside the climate-controlled studio in front of moving maps on the screen.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jay Graber; Mark Zuckerberg
Samantha Burkardt/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images; Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Bluesky CEO Takes Iconic Jab At Mark Zuckerberg With Message On Her T-Shirt

If you're not a fan of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, you're not alone—the CEO of Bluesky is right there with you.

Jay Graber, the CEO of the social media app created by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, recently took aim at her Facebook-founding rival during a panel at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey and MAGA fan in the crowd
Dropkick Murphys/YouTube, @Wampadude (Jeremy)/X

Trump-Hating Punk Band Makes Epic Wager With Fan After Spotting His MAGA Apparel

Dropkick Murphys frontman Ken Casey made a friendly wager at a recent show with a fan standing among concertgoers who was sporting a MAGA shirt.

The Celtic punk band from Quincy, Massachusetts, are vocal critics of Republican President Donald Trump. The pro-union musicians support the working class and proudly hawk 100% union-made T-shirts to support American laborers.

Keep ReadingShow less
RFK Jr. with Sean Hannity at a Steak 'n Shake
Fox News

RFK Jr. Raves About Steak 'N Shake In Bizarre Fox News Interview—And The Grift Is Real

Here's another bizarro event on everyone's 2025 bingo card that nobody saw coming.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. dined at a Steak 'n Shake and raved about their french fries after the fast food chain announced that it had swapped out seed oils for beef tallow to fry their fries.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy Tuberville
Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

Tuberville Ripped After Downplaying Stock Market Plunge With Bonkers Excuse

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville was criticized after he deflected concerns about the recent stock market crash amid President Donald Trump's tariff war, claiming that it was bound to happen because the market was simply "over-bloated."

The S&P 500 stumbled as investors struggled to keep up with shifting tariff announcements from President Donald Trump. The uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy pushed the index close to a technical correction—a 10% drop from its recent high.

Keep ReadingShow less