2/7/2018

LGBTQ/MIKE PENCE/SPORTS: “Gay U.S. figure skater Adam Rippon said on Thursday [2-8-18] he is willing to meet U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who has expressed staunchly anti-gay rights views, for an ‘open conversation’ – but only after the Olympics.
Rippon set off a furore last month by reportedly criticizing Pence’s views on LGBT rights and then declining when Pence offered to meet. Pence arrived in South Korea on Thursday as head of the U.S. delegation to the Games.
Rippon declined to confirm if Pence had in fact reached out to him, referring queries to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
‘I don’t want to distract from the competition or make this too much for my competitors and my teammates,’ he told reporters after a practice session…
USA Today cited two unnamed sources in a story on Wednesday that said a member of Pence’s staff had tried to set up a conversation between Rippon and the vice president, but the skater declined.
Pence communications director Jarrod Agen told reporters in Tokyo that the report was ‘false and should be corrected’.”

-Elaine Lies, “Figure skating: Gay skater Rippon open to meeting Pence – after Games,” Reuters, Feb. 7, 2018 11:29pm