Why skateboarder Brian Anderson came out publicly at age 40

Tuesday is National Coming Out Day, and professional skateboarder Brian Anderson proves it’s never true late to embrace your identity.

The athlete revealed his sexuality recently in a Vice documentary, and he told Andy Cohen why turning 40 inspired him to go public. (The Human Rights Campaign started celebrating National Coming Out Day in 1988 to commemorate the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.)

“Honestly, a big part, not only for myself and my feelings and my soul, [was that] I really wanted to try and help kids that are just totally scared and freaked out and let them know there could be some repercussions that are bad, and you should be careful, but you’ll be surprised how many people will embrace you and be cool about it,” Anderson said Monday.

Coming out as gay is especially monumental in a sports world build on hypermasculinity.

“There must be, but do you think there are a lot of other skateboarders out there who are in the closet?” Cohen asked.

“Of course. I mean, I said if you have 30 people in a room, there’s going to be one gay, trans, bi, whatever,” he said, adding with a laugh, “Usually that one is me.”

Andy Cohen Live airs Mondays at 10 a.m. ET on SiriusXM Radio Andy (Ch. 102).

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