Polish world medalist ski jumper Andrzej Stekala recently came out as gay on social media, paying heartbreaking tribute to his ex-partner who passed away in November.
Stekara, 29, accepted his idea. facebook and Instagram Last week, he wrote that he hid his sexual orientation and relationship from his fans because he thought it would interfere with his career as an athlete.
The post features photos and short video clips of the couple being affectionate.
“For a long time I wondered if I would ever find the strength within myself to write these words,” Stekala wrote. “For years I lived in the shadow of fear, afraid that my true self would destroy me.
For years, I lived in hiding, afraid that who I was would ruin everything I had worked hard for. But today I don’t want to run away anymore. I really want you to know me. i’m gay. For years I hid it from the world, from you, from the media, and sometimes even from myself. ”
Stekara said she met her late partner in 2016.
“He was my rock, my support, and my biggest cheerleader,” he wrote. “Together we shared life, passions, joys and difficult times. He was everything to me – my home and my heart. We protect what matters most. For this reason, they loved each other quietly, hiding their love from the world.
“I lost him last November. Words cannot describe the pain that hit me. The world we built together was shattered. Every day is difficult without him, but at the same time… It reminds me of how infinitely I love and how deeply loved I am.”
Stekara announced that he is starting a “new chapter” in which he will no longer hide his sexuality.
“I no longer want to hide who I am,” he wrote. “I am myself, a man who loved and still loves. And I know that he wants me to continue to live at peace with myself.”
Homosexuality is not criminalized in Poland, but a large part of Polish society has expressed hostility towards LGBTQ people and same-sex relationships, making it easy to understand why Stekala chose to go into hiding.
In recent years, the right-wing populist Law and Justice Party has sought to use opposition to LGBTQ rights to rally conservative voters to its cause.
The Law and Justice Party and its allies have even introduced the concept of “LGBT-free zones,” where local governments adopt resolutions opposing displays of LGBTQ rights and identities.
Lawmakers even pushed a bill to ban sex education in schools in the name of protecting children from “pedophilia.” The bill is aimed at teachers and LGBTQ activists who oppose the ban.
Despite the hardline stance that may exist in his country, Stekara’s Instagram account was flooded with messages of love and support for the athlete.
“Hold on,” one user wrote. “It must have taken a lot of courage and strength for you to make that confession. You will come back stronger and I am rooting for you.”
“I’m touched. I’ll probably never understand how someone could hate someone who simply loved them. Why so much venom and hate?” wrote another. I did. “Mr. Andrzej, I send my condolences and warm hugs.”
Stekala was a member of the Polish national team that won bronze medals at the 2020 and 2021 World Ski Jumping Championships. He also won an individual bronze medal at the World Cup held in Zakopane, Poland.
In 2020 and 2021, Stekara won bronze medals as part of the Polish team at the World Ski Jumping Championships in Planica, Slovenia and Oberstdorf, Germany.
In 2021, she also won an individual bronze medal at the World Cup in Zakopane, Poland.
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Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
