The WWE Will Feature LGBT Wrestlers in the Near Future
Closeted entertainers and celebrities who feel comfortable enough to out themselves in the 21st century, relative speaking, is a welcome step forward in the struggle for humanity recognition and the civil rights struggle for the LGBT community.
There is definitely still a long way to go.
Pat Patterson was a wrestling superstar back in the 1960’s way before there was a Hulk Hogan or the Rock.
He was a closeted gay man and kept his secret close to the chest in an era where one couldn’t say the word, “gay.”
Now 75-years old, Patterson has written a memoir about his life called, “Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE.” Patterson only recently outed himself in 2014.
It is amazing that such a talent was born ahead of his time and in an era where virtually every LGBT person was closeted.
Yet, it is also amazing that soon, WWE and perhaps other popular wrestling organizations, will break with customary homophobic tradition and feature publicly out LGBT wrestlers in the ring.
Chief Brand Officer for the WWE, Stephanie McMahon, has publicly revealed that sometime in the future the WWE will begin premiering and regularly featuring LGBT wrestlers in their events and performances.
At a recent Beyond Sport United engagement, McMahon stated, "We will integrate LGBT characters into our programming."
McMahan also went on to state that she has known LGBT wrestlers, executives and individuals all her life at WWE and this move is all about making public the notion that LGBT people are people.
The WWE is working in cooperation and collaboration with GLAAD.
Representatives of GLAAD will work with WWE writers and executives as new LGBT characters, story arcs and storylines are created and integrated with the greater storylines of WWE proper.
McMahon shows with such action that the WWE is wont to be seen as condescending or pandering and more as just being sensitive to the realities of life for LGBT.
After all, Pat Patterson, a wrestling superstar in his era, spent 50+ years in the closet.
McMahon did not specify exactly when the new LGBT-centric wrestling characters and storylines would be premiering.
All in all, it is welcome news.
Here’s to hoping that we don’t have to wait 50 years for the next great LGBT-themed sports memoir.
