Brian Anderson Continues To Transcend Skateboarding | Announces marriage to BF in Rolling Stone
Whenever we think the Brian Anderson story isn’t going to get any more coverage along comes another great interview we can’t help posting. One can sense the relief Brian must feel now that he’s come out of the closet as skateboardings first gay pro. Each interview he does becomes more candid and open. This one is another q+a exclusive following the one he did for Playboy, only this time it’s for Rolling Stone where Brian talks about both the dark times of being in the closet as well as jokes about the lighter sides of being a gay street skater. It’s not lost on him that being a huge, tough looking, heavily tattooed skateboarder that he had a different upbringing then other gay people:
“I was pretty unhappy inside, but skateboarding always made me happy,”
“This is something that I’m really aware of. I do feel for people that didn’t have it the way I did. I’m tattooed, masculine, six-foot-three with a beard and deep voice. For a long time, this probably helped me stay under the radar when I wasn’t ready to come out.”
“I don’t have to listen to Donna Summer and dance around my apartment in my underwear. Maybe I want to go hang out with a truck driver. That’s how I always felt. That being said, I do love hanging out with some queens – for sure. I love my gay-ass friends. [laughs].”
“Around 15 years ago, I think I was 25 when I started to tell people in the industry. And then it became fun. But it was fun because it was all behind closed doors. The guys would be like, “Hey Brian, look out the van at that construction worker.” And I’d be like, “Hell Yeah!” [Laughs]. It got really fun in a cool way and I actually felt very loved and safe.”
“I was completely freaked out – you can see it in the opening scenes that we filmed in my apartment, where my hair’s slicked back. I couldn’t believe that I was saying that stuff on camera – it was the most monumental interview of my life.”
“Yes, but when I did eventually come out to my friends at Thrasher and Transworld – because I knew everybody on the inside very well – they promised me they would never break my story before I was ready. And why would they? But that was a massive relief and also one rad thing about skateboarding. We have this little bubble we live in and I’m so fortunate to have done all these things that they loved me for, so they totally protected me. It was scary because I didn’t want to be out.”
One of the most unexpected parts comes out when he talks about the love of his life, his boyfriend Andrew, and how they are engaged and going to get married.
“Andrew is the love of my life. We’re engaged – we’re going to get married. He’s my best friend, my partner, my everything. We met last fall at a bar in New York City called Nowhere. It’s basically our Cheers. We have so many friends that work and DJ there. Andrew and I had a great exchange one night, swapped numbers and we made a date. We had our first date at the Grand Central Oyster Bar and then we went to the New York Public Library, where he snuck a first kiss. It was just perfect. Andrew has been there for me and he’s a great person. We communicate on a level that I’ve never had in my life. We speak about everything and we’re completely honest and share everything. It’s just been so incredible to have that in my life.”
Fuck yeah Brian!
Click over to Rolling Stone to read Why Skateboard Legend Brian Anderson Was Afraid to Come Out
