Here are a few reasons why it’s taken male skaters so long to come out. Skating clubs across the country, of which there are many, are touted as having family atmospheres — a “safe” environment for your children. Of course, there are young gay men (and probably women) who are participating and who are out to their families. But it is a very white straight world, at least outwardly. Within this world, many young male skaters are prevailed upon to be partners for young women. Rudy Galindo was, so you have to maintain that possibility of ice romance. You have yet to see same-gender skating pairs, after all. Also, sponsors until only recently were not there for LGBT skaters. They wanted skaters who could appeal again to this white straight world. And, skating tends to be an expensive sport, and expensive sports, again, are largely white and straight.