Page 64 - ISSUE 2

GRAPPLER Fall 2018

KG: I would say internally not so much. Once I realized it, I was But I was still worried to tell them. So I can just imagine if
like, ‘Oh okay, that’s how it is’. I didn’t come out until I was you’re living in the Deep South (USA) with religious parents,
29 actually, so it was quite a long time. It was in 2004, things it’s hard for me just to say like, ‘Oh, just do it man, it’s gonna
were quite different in society back then. People weren’t as be fine’. I don’t know people’s situations. But in general, I
open about it, the Internet wasn’t as big, so it wasn’t as easy would say people care a lot less than you think they do. There
to see all these [other gay] people doing well or [gay] athletes might be a few assholes. But I think the positive is going to
doing well, and so these things kind of built it up in my head. outweigh the negative.

Jiu-Jitsu is a very close-contact sport, so you do think is it GM: Before we let you go, having trained with him for years,
going to be an issue. [Wondering] are people going to be cool how would you sum up your relationship with Christian
about it, and then you just feel stupid when you eventually do Graugart?
come out, because everybody just really doesn’t give a shit.
Once you finally do it you’re expecting fucking suns to collide KG: He has the biggest case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) of
and everything to go crazy, and nobody really gives a shit. At anyone I’ve ever met. He’s super aware of it, but it’s very easy
most it’s a five-minute conversation when they ask you a to manipulate Christian if you just tell them that you’re about
couple of questions. You feel stupid, like you should have done to do the most amazing thing ever and he’s missing out if he
it a while go. doesn’t show up right now. He will leave his family at dinner
to come experience a good Instagram moment.
GM: Do you have any advice for any younger kids, whether
they’re in the sport or not, that may help them get over that For instance, after the Europeans one year, me and a couple
hurdle a little bit easier? girls went to look into gay bars downtown and he’s like, ‘Yeah,
it’s gonna be a great story, let’s do that’. Immediately. He’s a
KG: I would say that I’ve never met or heard of anyone that whore for experiences [laughs].
came out that regretted it. I’m pretty privileged, I have
amazing parents, both my sisters and [a lot] of their friends
are gay. My situation, as far as family goes, is pretty much
ideal. I knew they wouldn’t care.

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