And during the Olympics my gender was called into question, by two commentators from Quebec. And the Olympic games, this Olympic games, my second one in my career as a figure skater, is something that I worked 13 years of my life to achieve, and to be at, and to have that moment when the entire world was watching me, and I was showing them something that I bled, cried, and was a dominatrix, really, for... every day of my life. And that's a moment that will never be taken away from me. And to have it completely torn apart and belittled on such a massive stage as, you know, two old men who are talking about me not having a penis, to the world basically, it was very disheartening. So, my agent, being the superagent that she is, decided to throw a press conference.
Not an after-competition party, or anything to celebrate what I'd done, but a press conference to explain myself. And, I mean, for the record, I am very very proud to have a penis. I love it; amazing moments we've had together... I love it.
But going through this press conference, that I was very very hastily thrown into this situation, I spoke from the heart and I said having the freedom and the ability to be myself is something that every child and every person deserves. And it's something that I never take for granted and something that I'm so honored and so lucky to have grown up in a family like I did, that is very supportive of me no matter what I choose. If it's to sleep with a man, marry a woman, dye my hair purple, they support everything. And I'm so lucky for that, and I hope that more children have that opportunity, to never be said "No" to -- unless you want to set firecrackers off out of your ears or something -- but um, never to be said No to, and that's something that I live for, that's something that I live behind, that's something that makes me so proud.
And the response I got, from not only this community, but from the world, about speaking out, about how -- oh my god, the letters I'm getting, "My kid is so weird, you have no idea. He can't do anything without ballet slippers on." Or, "My daughter she loves, you know, she loves frogs, why is that?". Just random, weird things you wouldn't even think about. And these parents, these mothers, who had seen my words, my press conference, they were writing, and they said "you're giving our kids this face, this very public face, and this person they can look up to." I mean, be a freak, be weird, do things that you find interesting and find fun. And love it, and live it, and don't answer questions to anybody. So, in that way I saw where I am, and my place.
Now, I vowed that I'd do a really short speech because I know everyone wants to get to the after-party. What I heard when I arrived in Seattle is that, it's all about the after-party, and the after-after-party. Um, it seems very aggressive.
I'll make my next story short, but I have [We love you, keep speaking!] Okay, I'll work it. So, um... so my next story is basically my journey, and if it empowers you I'm very happy for it, for that effect, and if it does not I'm also happy for that effect. So I hope everyone can get something from this.