Jeopardy! champ Amy Schneider opens up about her past ‘self-hatred,’ ‘constant pain’ and ‘misery’ in heartbreaking post

JEOPARDY! champ Amy Schneider has opened up in a series of tweets about her self-hatred and pain from the past.

Amy took to Twitter to talk about her experience coming out as trans six years ago.

Jeopardy! champ Amy Schneider shared a heartfelt series of tweets about her experience as a trans womanCredit: Instagram

Amy shared the pain and agony she had gone through on her journey to living as her authentic selfCredit: NBC
In her lengthy thread, Amy celebrated being able to live as her authentic self.

She also wrote about the “agony” she felt while remaining in the closet earlier in life.

The Jeopardy! champion had not shared she was trans with the world as of six years prior, and it had caused her significant emotional distress.

Amy wrote: “After six years, it’s easy to take for granted the fact that I know my authentic self, that I don’t have to spend my life in hiding, mired in fear and self-hatred, forced to perform the gender identity that society assigned to me. But it is, in fact, a miracle.”

She continued: “Life in the closet was agony, an agony that was only made bearable by the fact that it was the only thing I’d ever known. I didn’t believe it was possible for me to ever be rid of it, to ever be able to walk freely under the sun, proud of who I knew myself to be.”

She continued: “But, six years ago today, that impossible dream came true. I took off that boy costume for the last time, and chose to no longer hide from the world, or from myself. And that has brought me a joy that is indescribable, a joy that has filled every moment of my life, ever since.”

Amy said that every year on the same date she takes time to remember that there was a time where she “didn’t believe” she could be this happy or that her pain would go away.

She wrote: “Of course, I believed I deserved that pain in part because people told me that I deserved it. Not only did they tell me that I should suffer, but they told me that God himself approved my suffering, that God wanted me to live out my life in misery, with no hope of reprieve.”

The popular contestant wrote about her frustration with the Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow businesses to discriminate based on their beliefs.

She tweeted: “Today, the Supreme Court endorsed that message. They offered their protection to everyone who tries to make people like me live in shame, to make us hate ourselves, to make us deny the truth of who we really are. But that message is doomed to failure.”

In conclusion, Amy wrote: “Nothing, NOTHING that anyone says or does can ever outweigh the truth I know in my heart, the truth I’ve lived for the last six years. Society can do whatever it wants, but I will never go back in the closet. I am a happy, proud, trans woman. Deal with it. Happy Pride, y’all.”

AMY-ZING!

Previously, Amy snagged the 2022 Tournament of Champions crown on Monday, November 21st.

The 40-time winner made history after admitting a shocking decision in Friday’s game nearly “cost her” the $250K prize.

Amy, 43, has faced 5-time champ Andrew He and fan-favorite professor’s tournament winner Sam Buttrey in six ferocious finals games.

On Monday – with two wins for Amy, two for Andrew, and one for Sam – the TV star with the second-longest Jeopardy! streak ever (with $1.3M) sealed the deal.

Amy emerged as the first player to win three matches (the number needed to win), looking beyond thrilled as she stared at the camera in disbelief and her fellow finalists applauded.

Going into Final Jeopardy, it could have been anyone’s game.

Amy had $15,600, Andrew right behind at $14,200 and $8,000.

Under the category “Plays” it read: “The January 12th, 1864 Washington Evening Star reported on this ‘dashing comedy’ to a ‘full and delighted house.'”

The correct answer was the infamous “Our Country Cousin,” and Amy ensured her bet would not be upstaged.

She wagered a huge $13,000 as the crowd gasped – blocking out Andrew’s maximum by $200 if correct – she won with $28,600.

“Amy Schneider, that’s your third win!” host Ken Jennings, 48, announced as the crowd roared – Andrew goes home with $100K and Sam $50K.

FANS ARE BUZZING

Fans were so pleased by the storybook ending as one viewer wrote to Reddit: “Way to go Amy!”

“I’m kinda tearing up I won’t lie. I loved all three of them, especially Sam, coolest professor ever. But Amy was my favorite player in the longest time,” wrote another.

“JEOPARDY HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE!!!” a wrote third as the Oakland California-based contestant is the first transgender tournament winner.

“Congratulations to Amy. As a lifelong fan of Jeopardy! and a trans woman, it means more than I can put into words,” wrote another.

“Really glad that Wednesday’s controversial Final did not end up affecting who won the tournament,” wrote a fourth.

A fifth added: “Was rooting for Andrew, but I’m very happy for Amy! She really deserved that win. It was a hard-fought battle and they all played phenomenally.”

A sixth applauded about Amy’s known rival: “Very well played game by Andrew. He was oh so close to winning. Just needed a little bit more money going into FJ.

And to all the naysayers who thought Andrew was just lucky because he only got the Daily Doubles. He got 0/3 today and was still very competitive.”

As a seventh concluded on the lengthiest Jeopardy! tournament in history: “We all made it through this long thing. It’s our final night going to bed before Cris Pannullo is back!”

After nearly six weeks of tournament season including the Second Chance Competition – regular episodes and reigning ace Cris Pannullo will return no less than tomorrow.

‘NO REGRETS’

The finals saw three players narrowed down from 21 – it began last Monday and with 2 notches, Amy already had a chance to win the crown on Friday.

Beloved professor Sam instead won his first game of the finals, sending the tournament to a sixth game.

It looked like Amy was about to clinch it as she went into Final Jeopardy with $15,800 compared to Sam’s $11,200 and Andrew’s $6,200.

Both Amy and Sam answered the clue correctly, but in a shocking move, the Professors’ Tournament winner bet his entire $11,200, doubling his pot and securing the win while Amy wagered just $1800.

“Amy threw it,” tweeted one viewer – another agreed: “I kinda thought the same. I think they wanted Sam to get on the board.”

“I think there was a silent pact to make it last seven games …or it was discovered that Sam was right on the final question about the Bible and he was owed a win,” said another commenter.

Last Wednesday, Sam was deemed incorrect for a biblical Final Jeopardy answer covered upon airing by The U.S. Sun that many viewers felt should have been accepted.

Amy broke her silence after Friday’s episode and tweeted: “I have no real regrets about my Final Jeopardy wager. I think it was the right move, and would make it every time in that scenario.”

“I had a decision to make. As long as Andrew didn’t win, I’d still be alive. But of course, if *I* won, then I’d be the champion!”

Amy said she wagered low to ensure Andrew would be blocked out of winning the tournament – if she was incorrect Sam would win, if she was correct, Sam still might have, at worst – but the series would continue.

“I knew there was an outcome where that wager cost me the entire tournament [if I hadn’t won today], and I’d resolved that even if that happened, I wouldn’t let it haunt me.”

“And, while I was disappointed, I was glad that Sam got a win, I think you could tell that the audience was glad as well. He played well enough to deserve a win, and he’s so charming!”

Over the summer, Ken and actress Mayim Bialik, 46, were officially announced as the permanent replacements for the late, great Alex Trebek.