"The danger comes from bigotry, not the victims of it."From: NewNowNext
Team USA gymnast Danell Leyva proudly proclaimed his support for the LGBT community in a series of videos posted to Instagram.
Wearing a “Make America Gay Again” tank top, the three-time Olympic medalist (he picked up two silver this week and a bronze in London in 2012) sounded off on a few different issues facing the LGBT community, including transgender people’s right to use the restroom and the safety of LGBT people in America after the massacre at Pulse.
“I wanted to say something that would do the victims of the Orlando shooting justice,” he said. “Something that can honor their memory.”
Leyva goes on to discuss how the LGBT community had a “safe space taken away from them…in the most horrific of circumstances.”
“While we take time to heal…we will use their memories to create an environment of love and support,” he said of the victims. “The love within the LGBT community is so much stronger than the hatred against it, and it is our responsibility as non-LGBT people to help emulate this love and create a world where LGBT people don’t need to create their own safe spaces.”
He added: “Recently there has been much said about trans rights and the danger people fear they may pose if they are allowed to use whatever bathroom they wish,” Leyva said in the video. “These people of course are wrong about any danger, and these attacks remind us that the danger comes from bigotry, not the victims of it.”
Levya ends his video by making a promise to actively create an accepting environment for the LGBT people around him, and challenging his other heterosexual followers to do the same.
“I hope you enjoyed this video,” he concluded, “and if you didn’t, please unfollow me.”
Leyva has been celebrating his major wins in Rio this week with his girlfriend and — gasp — Zac Efron. More of them below:
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