Polish Ski-Jumper Comes Out in Heartbreaking Instagram Post
Former world medalist Andrzej Stekala offered a loving tribute to his recently deceased partner, noting they hid their relationship.
Andrzej Stekala, a world medalist ski jumper from Poland, recently came out as gay on social media, sharing a heartbreaking tribute to his former partner, who died in November.
Stekala, 29, took to his Facebook and Instagram accounts last week, writing that he hid his sexual orientation — and his relationship with his partner — from fans because he believed it would hinder his athletic career.
The posts feature photos and short video clips of the couple being affectionate.
“For a long time, I wondered if I would ever find the strength within myself to write these words,” Stekala wrote. “For years, I lived in the shadow of fear, in hiding, afraid that who I truly am might destroy me….
For years, I lived in hiding, fearing that who I am could undermine everything I have worked so hard for. But today, I no longer want to run away. I want you to really get to know me. I am gay. For years, I hid it from the world — from you, from the media, and sometimes even from myself.”
Stekala said he met his now-deceased partner in 2016.
“He was my rock, my support, my biggest cheerleader,” he wrote. “Together we shared life, passions, joys, and difficult times. He was everything to me — my home, my heart. We loved each other in silence, hiding our love from the world to protect what was most important to us.
“In November of last year, I lost him. I can’t describe the pain that engulfed me. The world we built together has shattered into pieces. Every day without him is a struggle, but at the same time, a reminder of how boundlessly I loved and how deeply I was loved.”
Stekala announced that he’d be starting “a new chapter” where he’d no longer hide his sexuality.
“I no longer want to hide who I am,” he wrote. “I am myself — a man who loved and still loves. And I know that he would want me to continue living in peace with myself.”
While homosexuality is not criminalized in Poland, large segments of Polish society have expressed hostility toward LGBTQ people and same-sex relationships, making it easy to understand why Stekala may have chosen to closet himself.
In recent years, the right-wing populist Law and Justice Party has sought to use opposition to LGBTQ rights to rally conservative voters to its cause.
The Law and Justice Party and its allies even introduced the concept of “LGBT-free zones,” in which local municipalities have adopted resolutions expressing opposition to LGBTQ rights or displays of identity.
Lawmakers even pushed for a bill banning sex education in schools under the guise of protecting children from “pedophilia” — a charge they leveled at teachers and LGBTQ activists who objected to the ban.
Despite the hard-line attitudes that may exist in his country, Stekala’s Instagram account was flooded with messages offering love and support for the athlete.
“Hang in there,” wrote one user. “It must have taken a lot of courage and strength for you to make that confession. You will come back stronger, and I’m rooting for you.”
“I was moved. I will probably never understand how people can hate someone who simply loved another person. Why so much venom and hatred?” wrote another. “Mr. Andrzej, my condolences and a warm hug.”
Stekala was a member of the 2020 and 2021 Polish team that won bronze medals at the world championships in ski jumping. He also won an individual bronze medal at a World Cup in Zakopane, Poland.
In 2020 and 2021 Stekala was on the Poland team that won bronze medals in world championships in ski jumping in Planica, Slovenia, and Oberstdorf, Germany.
In 2021 he also won an individual bronze medal at a World Cup in Zakopane, Poland.
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