“I am who I am, and I’m not going to hide it,” Lee said Monday. “I’m not going to dress like a girl to fit an image. No, I’m me. I’m happy. That’s all that matters.”

She pondered whether such frankness about her sexuality would make her a sports pioneer of sorts among gays — a more influential one, of course, should she win a medal. She is considered a contender, not a favorite.

“I’m not trying to be a spokesperson for lesbians as an athlete,” Lee said. “I’m just being me. Whatever comes of it is fine.”

Stephany Lee qualified for the Olympics this weekend, then she married her partner. (via The New York Times)