and later was known for his fashion choices as a broadcaster. His costume choices and outspokenness caused conflicts with U.S. Figure Skating, the governing body of the sport in the U.S., throughout his skating career. Television commentators would bring up his sexual orientation during his performances, causing him to publicly address homophobic remarks by commentators during the 2010 Olympics. He came out in early 2011 and has been involved with LGBTQ activism. Early life Weir was born on July 2, 1984, in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, the eldest son of John Weir, a nuclear power plant engineer, and Patti Weir (née Moore), a nuclear power plant worker and home inspector. He is of Norwegian heritage, and has one brother, Brian "Boz" Weir, who is four years younger. Weir was raised in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, a rural town in Amish-dominated central Pennsylvania. Weir's father had competed in English saddle events. Weir was also an accomplished rider; by the age of nine, he had won several equestrian competitions and competed in the Devon Horse Show with his Shetland pony, Shadow. His family moved to New Britain, Connecticut, so he could train. He later said that horse riding had given him body awareness, preparing him for figure skating. Weir began skating at the age of 12. Soon after, his family moved to Newark, Delaware, in early 1996, so he could be near his training rink and coach. Weir was an honor roll student at Newark High School, where he graduated in 2002, and studied linguistics at the University of Delaware before dropping out. Competitive career Early career In 1992, after Weir and his family watched Kristi Yamaguchi win a gold medal at the Albertville Winter Olympics, his parents bought him a pair of used figure skates, which he used to teach himself to skate on a patch of ice in the cornfields near their home in Quarryville. When the weather was warmer, he practiced jumps on roller skates in the basement of his family's home. In 1994, he was inspired to further pursue figure skating after watching Oksana Baiul compete at the 1994 Winter Olympics, during the sport's rise in popularity caused by the Nancy Kerrigan attack at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. For Christmas, his parents bought him a new pair of skates and a package of group lessons at the University of Delaware, 45 minutes from their home. He had a natural talent