When I moved to Delaware to pursue figure skating I went to my first real integrated school with African-American kids, Muslim kids, Jewish kids—all those different people who had no idea who I was [started] bullying because I was different. I was tiny. I was pale. I didn't go to school the whole day because I had to go skating and train. Everyone knew what I was doing as a figure skater and, of course, you get bullied for doing those things. I never got sad when I was called the f-word or a name. I am not a person that cries over those things. I get stronger. I always come back fighting and I don't know why that it. It is my defense mechanism. When someone wants to belittle me then I come back 10 times harder so that I can be the one that laughs last. I don't let it effect me in a negative way. 

--windycitymediagroup.com, "Johnny Weir lets us in his 'World'" by Jerry Nunn, February 23, 2011, interview date: January 18, 2011