I'm hoping my presence alone in Russia will be a show of strength for the Russian LGBT community.

The skating community is very fickle. And with me, they're especially fickle for whatever reason. Maybe I bring it on myself, but if you don't prove yourself and you don't skate consistently, then they can very easily write you off and bring somebody from behind you and put them in your place.

I still have so much passion to perform... That's who Johnny Weir is: I'm a figure skater, I'm an athlete. I want to have fun and enjoy it.

I grew my beard out a little bit just to show that indeed I am a man.

I definitely don't think of myself as an actual male model. I'm far too short and my legs are far too muscular.

Masculinity is what you believe it to be. I think masculinity and femininity is something that's very old-fashioned. There's a whole new generation of people who aren't defined by their sex or race or who they like to sleep with.

That makes me think of spandex-covered football players. It's not me. I'm in rhinestones and velvet, not spandex.