Olympic skater Johnny Weir has been named the Grand Marshal of the 2011 LA PRIDE parade on June 12!

This is a great choice!

I guess any choice is better than Paris Hilton several years ago (I know, I should get over that one but it was ridiculous).

Olympic skater Johnny Weir, who has been openly gay since last year, has been chosen as the grand marshal of the 2011 LA Pride parade in West Hollywood on June 12.

I think he can expect a wild reception along the parade route.

We love our out celebs and I’ll be right there cheering loudly myself.

Rodney Scott, Christopher Street West Board President, said of the selection: “Johnny lives a life with a defined purpose, is dedicated to helping young people and is not afraid to be himself, sometimes not always an easy thing for a world-class athlete. As an out professional athlete, the visibility he brings is immeasurable.”

And here is what Johnny himself had to say: “I never think of myself as an activist in any capacity, but I am glad that people can find strength and inspiration in my triumphs and defeats.”

He became more open following the recent epidemic of gay teen suicides hoping his story would help others.  Among the numerous charities he supports are The Trevor Project, Elton John AIDS Foundation and UNICEF.