Quotes

I've gotten a lot of attention, I think, just for being myself. I think that a lot of people, when they come to a competition, are afraid to be themselves no matter who they are.

It's my world, and the rest of us are living in it.

I would absolutely not go out of my way to meet somebody who I felt has gone out of their way to not only show that they aren't a friend of a gay person but that they think that they're sick.

I think what you think of as the American people embracing - I don't think, on paper, I embody anything of that perceived persona. I think that's what people are latching on to, that I'm different.

Sometimes I might meet people, and they might just not like me, not want to get to know me. And that's OK. They're boring as hell anyway.

I remember seeing people who I thought were so confident and exuberant. I remember being young and watching Oprah and being like, 'Damn. That lady is so confident. She can talk to anybody.'

Sometimes when you're not confident in yourself, to see someone who doesn't care - and I don't care anymore. I really don't care - it gives you that confidence.

I don't find it distracting to be me.

I am usually wearing some sort of see-through when I am competing.

Being gay has never been a big deal to me, which is why it's a little funny to be getting all this attention about it.

I don't follow the rules!

As an athlete, I know that I'm such a perfectionist that I'll want to go out and keep working on something over and over until it's perfect. Part of growing up is learning to take a step back.

I always said that if I had the platform and the opportunity to share my story and make it easier for others, I would - so that, in a way, I can be the role model that I was looking for as a kid.

I know what it's like to be young and to feel like you don't belong.

Sometimes I just get attention, and I really don't know how it happens.

I'm not like a gay icon or America's gay sweetheart. I'm just America's sweetheart, and I'm just an icon.

I've gotten so many messages I could even get emotional thinking about it, but I've gotten so many messages from young kids all over the country that my story's resonated with them.

I can't tone it down. I'm being me, and I'm being myself, and I'd be doing myself an injustice, and I'd be doing an injustice to those kids who don't feel like they're comfortable to be themselves.

I was living in my coach's basement.

I do think about having babies a lot, actually. I think I look forward to that more than anything else.

Fortunately I'm Latin, and I'm born with a little bit of rhythm by default. It's in the DNA. I have that going for me, but I've never been considered one of the world's greatest dancers.

I'm most comfortable in my bare shorts without any underwear and a T-shirt if I'm home. I definitely like to sleep naked. I don't know how girls do it with thongs. Forget that!

I think I'm a trivia nerd. I love to learn about everything. I'm curious.

It was funny to run into girls I knew after the movie came out because they would say, 'I saw you on 'Magic Mike,' but there was this look of embarrassment. It was very cute.

A common sense of humour and a love of music is really important, as I love all types of music. You name me any genre, and I can give you a list of artists I adore.