Sure! We don’t have to freak out every single time an athlete comes out of the closet, then proceed to plaster his face onto every sports magazine to show how far we’ve come as a society… But gosh, I’ve got to admit I felt an uncharacteristic amount of warmth filling my soul when I read on Joe.My.God that WWE wrestler Darren Young revealed to TMZ he is, indeed, gay:
“Darren was at LAX Wednesday when we asked whether a gay wrestler could succeed in WWE, and Darren laughed, saying, ‘Absolutely. Look at me. I’m a WWE superstar and to be honest with you, I’ll tell you right now, I’m gay. And I’m happy. I’m very happy.’ For the record, Darren is now the first openly gay wrestler ever at WWE … and the first headlining wrestler ever to come out while still signed to a major promotion.”
This, um, feels like a big deal to me.
Around the time I was coming to terms with my sexuality, my cousin and best friend got me into professional wrestling. This led to a bizarre crush on, of all people, Ken Shamrock, as well as a not-so-bizarre insecurity about my feelings toward men. The machismo and homophobic undertones were at an all-time high at this point in the wrestling universe. You didn’t have straight allies like CM Punk coming out in support of marriage equality (which isn’t particularly surprising since, back then, marriage equality hardly seemed like a possibility).
While it’s not as if Darren’s nonchalant confession makes me want to pick up the remote and start watching pro-wrestling again, it gives me hope that other guys like me won’t feel as isolated when they’re tuned in to Raw and SmackDown. There’s the chance it could just lead to more bad gay “jokes” and further fuel homophobia in the ring… But, well, at least there will be a dialogue happening?
– Dewitt
Check out what Darren’s like in the ring below:
And the footage from this match isn’t erotic for me at all. Nope.
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From his Twitter profile. “As comfortable in the VIP section as he is in the ring, Darren Young’s life revolves around three things — money, women and wrestling.”
Because that’s his on screen character. *shocked face* Oh, you didn’t know that a gay man can play a straight character? Did you know straight men can play gay as well? Yeah, I know! Mind blowing. Heath Ledger & Jake Gyllenhaal weren’t really fuck buddies.
I’m proud of him for coming out, but why can’t it be someone I want to be gay? Lol! Why can’t Evan Bourne come flying out of the closet or Dolph Ziggler or Randy Orton realizing he’s gay & that’s why him & his wife divorced. Then I could hang out at the arenas like those slutty girls do & try to snag me a wrestler for the night. Lol!
I’m in love…
LOL just saw this on Yahoo news man you work fast on getting the info out!
The way he came out says a lot. He did not hold a press conference or confer with lawyers. It tells me that those involved in the WWE have known already. Another person commented on the “role” that these guys play…and WWE is all about acting.
As far athletes coming out making news…in this era, with the Russian homophobic laws, elected officials in our own country still thinking the earth is flat, and the homophbic statements that the power of celebrity allows (not to mention the fans of many of these sports) we need it to make the news. THe more young athletes see that your sexuality has nothign to do with the ability to play the game the better we all will be.
As hot as Darren is, I love me some Randy Orton and John Cena. Their bromance is off the charts. Randy and Sheamus actually sat in front of me and my friends at the movies once. Took all the control I had not to molest them in the theater and then not follow them into the restroom after…
What!!? Heath and Jake weren’t a thing? But they were kissing and even barebacking for a skinny premature second in that documentary that I saw on them. This totally blows. Thanks for fucking up my world, James.
Good on him for being open, honest and authentic. Seems like a scary profession to be gay in so more power to him.
I’m so sorry Michael, but I feel I must spread honesty. You know that Michael Douglas & Matt Damon weren’t fucking each other too, right? Dammit! There I go again! Lol!
It’s not actually. Maybe more to some of the fans it would be. But he’s not the first openly gay wrestler. There’s a guy named Pat Patterson. He’s an old school guy. He wasn’t openly gay to the fans like this, but it wasn’t a secret. He’s actually the Godfather of Stephanie McMahon, the daughter ofthe owner of WWE. Pat was even the inspiration behind The Rock’s gay character in the movie Be Cool. He said Pat was one of the toughest men he knew when he was growing up & that he was one of his Dad’s best friends. He said he learned long ago that stereotypes of gay men as weak were full of shit.
Lol! I get that. I met Evan Bourne & it was a lot of strength to control myself. He’s adorable in persn & nice as can be. Orton is sex on legs. I ddidn’t meet him, but I was close to him. He oozes sex from every poor in his body.
WHAT?!?! You’ve just destroyed my whole world. While I didn’t actually watch whatever movie they were in, I saw pictures of them (I guess at their private home…around the pool and such) and they certainly seemed to be a couple. I had no idea they were so much flamboyant when they weren’t in the public eye but it just seemed to me like they were lovers from way back…like back in the 70’s and 80’s.
Please be gentle with all of this. I’m just not sure what to believe any more. Next thing I know you’re gonna be trying to tell me that Dewitt is really str8 too and that him, his cock and his asshole have just been teasing us with gayness.
Apparently being gay in wrestling is no big deal & never has been, according to Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels. http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/18/wwe-shawn-michaels-darren-young-gay-passe-video/
anyone remember the wrestler gold dust kissing the other wrestlers on camera…
IKR? I thought it was John Cena in blackface at first. I wish Cena or John Morrison was gay.