In honor of the 2021 Pride Month, learn about the WWE wrestlers who openly identify themselves as LGBT
June is celebrated as the Pride Month all over the world to honor individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, especially those who were involved in the Stonewall riots. As a movement ally, one should not only spread love irrespective of gender but also aim to promote and preserve the history of the Queer community. This also includes celebrating the courage and joy of those who have come out and declared themselves to be openly queer.
Five WWE Wrestlers Who Identify Themselves As LGBT
1. Pat Patterson
Pat Patterson announced he was gay in 2014 during an episode of “Legends’ House,” a reality television show on the WWE Network. “For once in my life, I’m going to be me now,” he said on the show. “I survived all this being gay. I lived with that for 50-some years.” People Magazine described the 1996 Hall of Famer as the ‘First gay wrestling star’. He passed away in December, 2020 due to liver failure.
2. Darren Young
The former tag-team champion came out as gay in a TMZ interview. When asked if a gay wrestler could be successful in WWE, Young responded “Absolutely! Look at me. I’m a WWE Superstar and to be honest with you … I’ll tell you right now that I’m gay.” He is the first wrestler ever to publicly come out while still signed to WWE. The company had released a statement in support of him and other superstars had also shown their support via tweets.
3. Sonya Deville
”If you’re scared to do it, my advice would be ‘do it’, because it was the best thing that ever happened,” said Sonya Deville in an interview with SkySports. She came out as gay in front of the whole world on TV and is the first-ever openly lesbian superstar in the company. According to her, the best life we can live is one in which we are true to ourselves.
4. Tegan Nox
NXT’s Tegan Nox owes her nickname Lady Kane to her red hair and lover for the Big Red Monster Kane. Last year, she had posted a photo with her female partner, coming out to the world. Having found the right person she was in love with made her realize that it was the right time to come out. Sonya Deville also inspired her to do so and 99 per cent of the reactions she got were positive.
5. Jake Atlas
“I want to break barriers. I want to make history.” These were the words Jake Atlas introduced himself with before his first WWE match. He had come out, very publicly, on Twitter, which led to thousands of negative and positive comments. While the pro-wrestler has come out as queer, he is yet to find common ground with his mother. Moreover, he doesn’t want the Universe to watch him because he’s gay, but because he’s good.
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