They call him “Mr. Sunlight.” Kamal-Craig Golaube was a star on the track in college, and now, as a graduate, he is a superstar in the spinning studio.
“I’m out, gay, and proud,” he tells Queerty. “I am no longer afraid to say what my sexual orientation is. It is [created] so much confidence and allowed me to think outside the box and be more in tune with my feelings and emotions.”
Although Golaube is only 24 years old, his story illustrates the power of self-discovery. As a sophomore at Portland State University, he was depressed and overwhelmed, and his performance suffered in the classroom and on the track.
It was around this time that he wrote “sexuality” down on a piece of paper and stared at the word for hours. Complete mental clarity did not come immediately. It was a long process. But when he arrived, Golaube was transformed.
He transferred to Colorado State University and helped the Rams win three Mountain West championships — writing himself into the school’s books along the way. Thriving as an athlete, Golaube found the strength to share his story. He founded the school’s LGBTQ Athlete Ally program.
“I wanted to create this space because I knew it would help the younger generation talk about themselves and also see that it’s okay to be who you are all the time,” he says.
Over time, Golaube realized his joy in inspiring others. That’s the main reason he loves his job at SPENGA, a national fitness brand that specializes in full-body workouts. We caught up with him for ours Time Out series of interviews and talks about her passion for fitness, her side modeling career and her worst Grindr story.
Here’s what he said…
QUEERTY: What do you like about being a fitness instructor?
KAMAL-CRAIG GOLAUBE: I show up as myself all the time. I did SPENGA when I was an athlete and used it as cross training to prepare for the Olympics, and when I was injured it was the only thing I could do because it wasn’t a lot of stress on my hip. I love it so much because I meet so many different people. I can be a part of their fitness journey and change their lives. I like to be a motivator. I love being inspirational. I love just breaking down people’s walls and making them realize that they are something bigger and capable of doing hard things.
How do you motivate yourself to get to the studio every morning at 5am?
This is rude! I may or may not snooze my alarm two or three times. But I show up for my members. If they show up, I have to show up for them. I can walk in tired, but as soon as I walk through those doors and into the studio, it’s like I’m a different person. It doesn’t feel like work to me. This is my passion. That’s one thing I took away from my senior year as a student-athlete: have the passion. When you don’t have passion for something, you won’t enjoy what you do.
What’s on your workout playlist?
I love me some Megan Thee Stallion: ass shaking music! I listen to ass shaking music. I like to rock holes all the time. He’s fat behind, thank you athletics! But I listen to almost everything. I include a lot of club music vibes, but also different remixes of top hits. I have a wide variety and I never get bored.
Dating Apps: Yes or No?
It’s a yes and a no. For certain aspects, I think dating apps are great. But some dating apps aren’t… for dating. I have Grindr, Tinder and Hinge. Hinge is more of a dating app to me. You connect with someone, have a good conversation with them, and then plan where you want to go. Tinder is the middle ground. To me, Tinder is like “Who’s in the area?” because you’re going to see them on the weekend anyway. Then Grindr is more about hooking up. Is that “wyd?” something like that.
What’s your worst Grindr story?
I met this guy on Grindr. We started talking and lived about three miles apart. They would never send me pictures of themselves. They sent me pictures of the body. I didn’t meet them, but it was super weird. His room was dark and had red lights. It felt demonic, like there was some kind of ritual going on.
The next day one of my best friends texted me and they were like, “I’m talking to this guy,” and it was the same pictures! I was like “Okay What?!I know this picture looked similar. I said to myself, “I can’t do it! I can not do it! Block it! Please and thank you.”
What do you like about modeling?
I always wanted to be a model. My mother was a model. My sister did pageants. She works in the family. But what I love about it is that it humbles me a lot. When people think about modeling, they think, “Oh my god, you’re pretty, you’re beautiful, you have this beautiful body.” In modeling, that’s not the case. Many companies and agencies have a specific look they are looking for. If you do not meet these criteria, you will not receive a reservation. That humbled me.
Who will win Drag Race this season?
Oh my gosh! ok Drag Race knocking for me! I think either Mistress or Sasha Colby will win this season. I’ll give you my top four: Mistress, Sasha, Anetra, and Loosey LaDuca.
Scroll down for photos from Golaube’s Instagram pages…