Gay Olympic ice skater announces engagement to longtime boyfriend: ‘We did a thing’
Paul Poirier has announced his engagement to his long-time boyfriend (Toru Hanai – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
Paul Poirier has announced his engagement to his long-time boyfriend (Toru Hanai - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
Gay Olympic ice skater Paul Poirier has announced his engagement to long-term boyfriend Kevin in a cute and low-key Instagram post.
Canadian skater Poirier, who has competed in three Olympic Games, announced his engagement to his boyfriend on Wednesday (30 July), with a photo of the pair wearing silver rings, writing: “We did a thing (he said yes)”.
The 33-year-old told Outsports that it was a “very casual proposal at home during our evening routine”.
“It was really nice to share that quiet moment together, and then to share the news with our families and closest friends,” he added. “We’re both very excited!”
Poirier told the news outlet that he met Kevin in 2020, and that his fiancé is “my favourite person and biggest source of support in all facets of life”.
The pair received an outpouring of positive comments, with Piper Gilles, Poirier’s skating partner, commenting: “So happy for you two!! You’ve deserved all the love.”
Paul Poirier, who publicly came out in 2021 ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, explained that he wanted to be a role model for other young queer athletes.
“[Being a gay athlete] hasn’t been something that I’ve really talked about very much, especially in a public setting,” he said at the time.
“I’ve had this attitude that my private life is my private life and my life outside of skating is my life outside of skating. I haven’t necessarily allowed all of those things to [blend] together. I think with the lead-up to the Olympic Games in the next year, I definitely see opportunities to share what we do and who we are to a much wider audience, and that opportunity is not lost on me.”
He added: “This Pride Month is a really good opportunity to share a bit more about my story, how my sexuality has made me the person and the athlete that I am today, and also perhaps be a role model for so many young queer athletes who are growing up and not really sure how to navigate that as they go through the world of sport.”
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