![strong gay men wrestling strong gay men wrestling](https://64.media.tumblr.com/4cc5fec618bb6b90026e82336ef30c87/tumblr_pdkyh11Vmf1siyy7ro1_1280.png)
- #STRONG GAY MEN WRESTLING HOW TO#
- #STRONG GAY MEN WRESTLING PRO#
- #STRONG GAY MEN WRESTLING PROFESSIONAL#
“It was part of the reason I stayed in the closet,” he says. Mike Parrow, a gay wrestler who prides himself on busting stereotypes with his 6-foot-4 and nearly 300-pound frame, struggled to see himself using his sexuality as a source of power when he started his career. “I can’t speak for everyone, but the locker rooms I’ve been a part of have been incredibly supportive and, because of that, all the original worries of acceptance that I had before coming out are not even a thought anymore.” “I have seen things change and it’s for the better,” he says.
#STRONG GAY MEN WRESTLING PRO#
Anthony Bowens is an openly gay pro wrestler.Īnthony Bowens, an openly gay wrestler who has most recently competed for IMPACT Wrestling and WrestlePro, says attitudes have shifted in the six years he has been wrestling professionally. Just years ago, the mere thought of developments like this would have been unfathomable. A Matter of Pride, a promotion that features exclusively LGBTQ wrestlers and allies, is flourishing in New York. The recently founded and much buzzed about All Elite Wrestling, featuring the likes of the legendary Chris Jericho, signed Sonny Kiss, an openly gay wrestler, and Nyla Rose, the first-ever transgender competitor signed to a major promotion.
![strong gay men wrestling strong gay men wrestling](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/401350510616-0-1/s-l1000.jpg)
#STRONG GAY MEN WRESTLING PROFESSIONAL#
“I sacrificed my WWE career and living my childhood dream to live my life truthfully,” he said.ĭespite its troubled history, the professional wrestling landscape is diversifying and expanding as quickly as its talent base. He draws a straight line between his coming out and his eventual demise with the company. Despite an almost exclusively warm welcome from the backstage contingent and a seemingly positive reaction from his boss, those in places of power and influence below the surface were less enthused. “In the ‘70’s, ‘80’s or even ‘90’s, it was not a safe space for gays,” he says.Īfter coming out, Young was thrown into a fire that nobody saw coming. His fear and uncertainty came from decades as a wrestling fan.
#STRONG GAY MEN WRESTLING HOW TO#
Young, who had contemplated how to handle his sexuality for years, spontaneously came out to a TMZ cameraman when asked about whether or not the wrestling world was ready for a gay performer.
![strong gay men wrestling strong gay men wrestling](https://wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2018/01/04/157006845_AN-WRE-WRESTLING-NOTEBOOK_ORIG_t600.jpg)
![strong gay men wrestling strong gay men wrestling](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_34PE0ZEgM80/TGYfdOK99-I/AAAAAAAAUv0/0kq_kiw6mmg/s320/black+negrus+bodybuilder+(246).jpg)
In 2013, Darren Young became the first openly gay wrestler in WWE. “The great thing about wrestling is that the audience is a great cross-section of Los Angeles … when they all get in the building, they are all just fans, blowing off steam from a hard week of work.”Ītlas represents the new breed of LGBTQ talent in the professional wrestling world, a community that has flourished in recent years thanks to promotions like PCW and performers like himself. “There was never any issue with having an openly LGBTQ wrestler with one of our belts,” he says. Mike Scharnagl, owner of PCW, never gave it a second thought. I am proud of that.” Jake Atlas Oscar Rodriguez I am one of the leading faces of PCW Ultra, along with some of the greatest talent in the world. “To have management believe in my story and background, allowing me to showcase my pride with the lifestyle I live, has been an incredible sense of relief. I did everything from setting up the locker room, holding the cables for the cameramen, running entrance gear for the talent and leading a group of young wrestlers to set up the entire arena on show days. “I was the first one in the building and the last one to leave for two years. “I worked so hard for two years to have management believe that I can be a part of their roster, that I can be someone they can rely on to deliver in front of capacity crowds. “I have so much pride in a variety of aspects in being the PCW ULTRALight champion,” he says. For Atlas, an openly gay man, the impact and importance of his title reign is something he cherishes. PCW (Pacific Coast Wrestling) is one of the most popular companies on the exploding indie wrestling scene. Jake Atlas won the PCW ULTRALight title in January 2019, a milestone in the meteoric rise of one of the most talented and buzzworthy performers in the sport. Because on this night, in front of a sold-out crowd some 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, everybody is here to see a champion who just happens to be gay. Vendors sling cheap beer and tacos as quickly as possible, merchandise sales fly fast at makeshift stands and spectators settle into their folding chairs for a night of independent professional wrestling.īut this night is noteworthy for a reason that goes far beyond the action in the ring. The crowd is diverse - men and women, young and old, all different walks of life - and once inside the venue, the buzz is palpable. It’s a warm Friday night and the line at the ILWU Memorial Hall in Wilmington, California, wraps around the block.