Gays in Wrestling

[CM Steel]

Today in society, homosexuality is growing daily. And it gets more excepted by some if not many. But does that include in sports? Or even sports entertainment?? Looking back at the performers who or went by a gay persona. Let's take a look back?...

1. Goldust: Dustin Runnels Goldust charactor played mind games on others in the ring. But of course to people with common sence, he came off looking gay. Even though he had a wife (Terri Runnels) at the time in his corner.

2. Billy & Chuck: Billy & Chuck were the first and only tag team in wrestling history who went by looking and being openly gay by wearing pink tights and humping the floor while doing push-ups in the locker room and such. And we will never forget the wedding that they almost had with the help of Rico. Who would later go by a goldust-like charactor later on on RAW, then be brought back to Smackdown before getting released.

3. HLA (Hot Lesbian Action): RAW General Manager at the time Eric Bischoff wanted to compete with the Billy & Chuck thing on Smackdown. So he came up with the whole "HLA" thing on RAW. And even going as far as bringing in two lesbian's to egg it on on RAW. Before they got beat down by Three Minute Warning (Rosey & Jamal aka Umaga).

4. Dawn Marie: During the storyline between Torrie Wilson, Dawn Marie, and Torrie Wilson's father, Al Wilson. Dawn Marie came out and revealed that she went "both ways" in a attemp to creep with Torrie.

5. Orlando Jordan: Orlando Jordan seem straight as a arrow during his time in the WWE. But by the he was in TNA wrestling. He came out the closet to the world. And revealed on TNA TV, that he was indeed bi-sexual! He went both ways on-screen as well as real-life.

So now in this new era of wrestling. Should homosexuality also somewhat be accepted by the wrestling world? And isn't Pat Patterson a WWE hall of famer yet?

 

[The Brain]

Sure homosexuality should be accepted but if it was just simply accepted then there wouldn't really be a gimmick or storyline. Without that there would be no point in mentioning a wrestler's sexual preference. It would be irrelevant. Homosexuality is used just like any other stereotype in wrestling. Everything is done over the top.

And Pat Patterson was inducted into the hall of fame about 15 years ago.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

It is rumored that wrestling is very much like Hollywood were homosexuals hide their preferences to extreme lengths. So, while it was okay to have kayfabe homosexuals, it is believed by most within the industry to be to controversial in reality for the general public. From my reading over the years that there is also apparently the issue of homophobia within the wrestling ranks - as in "I'm not rolling around on the mat with that guy; he's gay!"

They say that controversy creates cash but I believe that this is one risk that promoters and the talent themselves appear unwilling to take.

 

[poppycock]

I think of course homosexuality should be accepted in wrestling and all forms of life. Having gay or camp gimmicks in pro wrestling is a tough one because it can become really stupid and pointless if it was done just for the sake of pointing out the fact a wrestler is gay. Kind of along the same lines as racial stereotypes in pro wrestling, they can be done well and be very entertaining but also can be a huge failure boring cliche of a mess.

Goldust is and always has been one of my favourite gimmicks in the WWE. I think Dustin plays the strange, effeminate male diva character perfectly. He has always been entertaining and is great in the ring in my opinion. I also quite liked Orlando Jordans character in TNA and played what was perhaps a cartoon version of himself really well. I think anybody who woud be against gay wrestlers just because they are homesexual would just be a meat head, closed minded human being who I would have no time for. Being against a wrestler with a silly sterotype gay gimmick which has no depth other than "they are gay ooh shocking blah blah".. well I would be against that sort of gimmick also.

 

[Larry]

So it's controversial to be gay in a sport/form of entertainment where we've got a bunch of heavily muscled men with little body hair, oiled up in little underwear, wrestling around and grabbing each other, screaming and grunting in submission holds, and getting into feuds because they are fighting over a sparkly belt????

Oh gee, who'd of thunk it? Damn, I guess I was confused on the matter.

It doesn't really matter in the real world and it shouldn't really matter in wrestling if it does at all. Who really cares? I guess I'd have a problem with the idea of the guy I am wrestling possibly wanting to wrestle me in the bedroom, but as long as it stayed professional what do I care? I mean, if they were getting a chubby when they were wrestling me, obviously we'd have a problem there, but I'd almost be more interested in the reaction from the fans at the site of that than anything.

 

[#hamler]

I can see where the issue would arise while wrestling someone who is a homosexual, but the issue shouldn't matter. A homosexual is just another wrestler. Whether they're homosexual or not shouldn't be brought up at any point during one's career unless he or she is playing a stereotypical gimmick. Goldust was by far one of the best characters to ever grace a WWE ring and he'll be remembered for that. Whether he was gay or not doesn't matter in the slightest. Would I wrestle a homosexual, you damn right I would. If I was a wrestler, I'd be more focused on getting the crowd behind me instead of worrying whether or not the guy in front of me is a homosexual.

 

[Remy LaCroix]

I'm pretty sure WWE accepts it, or else GLAAD would be all over them like a gang of sexually-deprived rapists on a pretty transsexual male in a men's prison...bad analogy, but you get the point. I don't know if a current WWE superstar swings both ways or plays for the other team, but I'm sure they'd be cool with it; as long as they're not out loud and proud of it 'cause it's a personal matter, like it should be, or else they'll risk being called an attention ****e. When TNA did it with Orlando Jordan it was a trainwreck and he was practically begging to get booed. I honestly couldn't help but feel awkward watching his segments, especially since it never really amounted to anything.

As for heterosexual wrestlers wrestling with homosexuals, there shouldn't be any worry or tension in the air; they're professionals and have a job to do, nothing more and nothing less.

Fans are different. Some might be cool with it, others will abhor it. Cool, whatever, just don't hate on the guy or gal if they happen to have different gender preference that has NOTHING to do with their character.

 

[Rayne]

Today in society, homosexuality is growing daily. And it gets more excepted by some if not many. But does that include in sports? Or even sports entertainment??

Fact check for the OP: How do you know that homosexual activity is growing daily? First there's the question of asking if there are more people who identify themselves as homosexual, or more people who are comfortable talking about their homosexuality in public. Second, growing daily? Are there going to be more gay people in the world when I wake up in the morning?

Getting beyond that, why the fuck should I care where someone likes to put his dick? If it's not in me, it's not in a child, and it's not in a viciously beaten woman, I really don't care much. What business of mine is it to fret about where any of you are putting your dicks? For that matter, what business is it of yours to fret about where I put my dick. (Not counting those of you whose mothers I have railed. You probably have legitimate grudges.) The issue isn't homosexuality, the issue is people being unable to mind their own fucking business. If people could learn to say, "why should I care who he sleeps with", this would be a non-issue.

Should homosexuality be more accepted within professional wrestling? I've heard two main arguments against it. The first, which I can at least respect for its honesty, is "ew, it's gross." Not condoning that as a reason, but if you're going to freak out about something outside of your frame of reference, at least you can be honest about it. The other is the classic "it's in the Bible" defense, whose authors always seem to forget the other bromides in that book, like "love thy neighbor", and "hate the sin, not the sinner". (What a great book, too. You can use it to excuse any kind of unpardonable crime.) If anyone's willing to give me a convincing reason why homosexuals should be ostracized based on who they choose to sleep with, I have been very eager for years to find a reason that couldn't be torn apart with a kindergarteners logic.

 

[SickJames]

Damnit, I made a thread on this and it was taken down.

Anyway, I dont think it's a matte of whether it's accepted or not, wrestlers are gonna do what they do. People dont have to accept every character. Some parents may not like a gimmick like The Godfather from the 90's for example, but the hos arent going anywhere.



What I had asked in my thread primarily among other things is Would Fans Accept AN OPENLY GAY WORLD CHAMPION?

I never got a response and was wondering what the IWC, the most ruthless sons of bitches, sometimes ignorant, had to say about it.


I mean kayfabe though, cause anyone couldve been in the closet (so real wouldnt really matter as they couldnt really know unless they interrogated everyone), but an openly gay character.

And I wonder if WWE would ever let that happen or have a transexual World Champion

I mean look at how much we get threads on a lack of black World Champs, what about this? (we could have more races get the World straps more often, not just for the hell of it, but it is a breath of fresh air)

Well what about a character that made Goldust's gimmick look like child's play?


WWE plays with it, they'll joke on it, or do a HLA or Billy & Chuck thing, but if they truly support it and dont care (I heard of discrimination against gay wrestlers behind the scenes) then I think they should be okay with a gay face of the WWE being THE champ

It's also kind of funny how I've heard of discrimination against gays in the back then also of certain ppl in certain positions (not those) in the back coming onto the guys, just sayin

 

[poppycock]

Sickjames I will answer your question and obviously can only speak for myself. I would accept a Gay/Transexual WWE Champion just as much as any other Champion aslong as they are deserving and entertaining. Be it a Kayfabe gimmick or an openly gay wrestler, if anybody had a problem with it purely because they were homosexual, well lets just say I would not personally associate with sombody with that mindset in life and am pleased I am not as closed minded as they. Unless of course the gimmick/wrestler is looking for heat and asking for negativity from the fans but I am sure the WWE would not use homosexuality to geat heat in this era. Like I said Goldust is one of my favourite gimmicks of all time and although not gay he is obviously not your conventional male wrestler type...I would have loved him to have held the WWE Championship at some point. On topic I often wonder if it was his gimmick that held him back from being Champion. Either because it was too outlandish to be the face of the WWE for any period of time or just that he did not need the belt because he was so entertaining.

 

[SmarksAreIgnorant]

What I want to know is how they hold back of not getting aroused when wrestling. Anyway, I agree with a earlier post, if homosexuality is accepted in wrestling then it wouldn't be in a storyline. Whether the fans will accept a openly gay wrestler or as champion? Its hard to say because lets just face it, most WWE fans right now are little kids who don't know any better and southern rednecks. It woudln't be a problem in the liberal north such as a show in new york.

 

[Rayne]

What I want to know is how they hold back of not getting aroused when wrestling. Anyway, I agree with a earlier post, if homosexuality is accepted in wrestling then it wouldn't be in a storyline. Whether the fans will accept a openly gay wrestler or as champion? Its hard to say because lets just face it, most WWE fans right now are little kids who don't know any better and southern rednecks. It woudln't be a problem in the liberal north such as a show in new york.

I can wrap my arms around a woman without getting a hard-on. I can look at a woman in a bikini (material size being a factor) without getting a stiffy. I imagine it works much the same with male wrestlers. Pat Patterson always seemed to resist the temptation to give a guy a reach-around while he had him in a sleeperhold.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I mean, socially it should and needs to be more accepted. But I don't think the way to do that is to parade it around as a character like Orlando Jordan or Rico. If anything, that makes it stick out and say "hey, look how insanely creepy we are!" That kind of attitude towards homosexuality is never going to make it ok in the eyes of the public. Much like how the gay pride parade in Chicago does more harm than good for the GLBT community, because again it ostracizes them even more and makes it look like something crazy, rather than just a normal lifestyle choice.

Besides the social issue and implications, Orlando Jordan's character in TNA is just beyond creepy. It's ridiculous that THAT is the face of homosexuality in professional wrestling right now, even if that face is only seen by like...4 people every week (I kid, I kid...).

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

I think gays or gay character s in wrestling is a rib. Wrestling is the gayest sport because not only are they wrestling but the wrestlers know its fake...think about it... atleast the ufc is real.

You did not just say "fake" in mah forum... I didn't just hear that. TELL ME, he didn't just say that!

Scripted, not fake. Blah blah blah, whine whine whine, it's still real to me, blah blah blah.

Also, pro wrestling is not the gayest sport. Not at all. In fact, they're one of the only sports to feature men AND women, sometimes at the same time! The WNBA doesn't count because it has less viewers than TNA.

 

[Kiel297]

See, this is something kinda personal to me, being a gay guy.

While I would absolutely love to see homosexuality generally accepted in professional wrestling, the gimmicks that have been based on homosexuality and probably would be in the future just really aren't representative of gay people at all.

Characters like Goldust, Rico, Billy and Chuck play on stereotypes. The problem with that is then the people who will believe whatever they see on television (and that's a lot of people) will then go and say "Huh, I guess all gay people must be like that." and that's where things get worse for gay people instead of better.

Even in the case of Orlando Jordan, at a time where the western world is generally accepting of homosexuals, is painted as this freaky guy who wants to stick his dick in anything that moves, simply because he's bisexual. I recently got told on another forum to "stop being such an Orlando Jordan", and when I complained about the comment, I was told I was "being such a Chris Kanyon".

Yeah, it'd be great to see homosexuality accepted in the wrestling business, and in society in general. But for that to happen, as an industry, wrestling has to get past this whole "Gay people are just like ****ty women with penises" thing

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Chris Kanyon was gay. Before he passed he openly admitted to being a homosexual on a radio show and said he knew it, WCW management knew it yet nobody really cared.

Personally I have no problems with homosexuals, homosexuality or anything like that. I use terms like, "that's gay" and even label someone a "******" when they do something idiotic, but outside of the realm which is professional wrestling I've nothing against them so I don't see why I should when I look at it from a professional wrestling perspective.

Pat Patterson is an openly homosexual male; and to the OP, Pat Patterson IS a WWE Hall of Famer, he was inducted in 1996. Not the first and probably won't be the last time you forget to check the facts in your opening post. Goldust; or Dustin Runnels stated in his book that he took what people found as "shocking" and made it normal, so normal that when he returned to the WWE people didn't find it shocking anymore, they simply found it funny. Goldust giving Ahmed Johnson CPR was seen as taboo back in the mid-90's, if it happened today there would be either no reaction or just a big laugh.

Is homosexuality going to be accepted fully in society, not just professional wrestling? Probably not, but as is in society, those in the pro-wrestling industry will just have to deal with the fact, it is a normal thing. And to the person that claimed wrestling is "gay", surely it's "gay" to point out that wrestling is "gay" because to form the opinion that it is "gay" you have to contmeplate how it becomes so. Think about that.

 

[Iversen]

Shouldn't even be a question. Who cares what someone does in their spare time or their personal life? Sexuality should play zero role in what anyone can do professionally.

 

[FitFinlay4Life]

Wikipedia:
In 2006, after Kanyon's release from WWE, he began a gimmick in which he was an openly homosexual pro wrestler. This included a publicity stunt wherein he stated that WWE released him from his contract because of his sexuality. Kanyon later told reporters and even stated on a number of radio interviews, that this was just a publicity stunt and he was heterosexual.[6] However, he later retracted these statements and acknowledged that he was in fact homosexual.

James Mitchell has also stated that Chris remained in the closet for many years.

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Sorry, you might have to use a mirror to see what the 'controversial' comments are.

http://www.outsports.com/moresports/20061205nash.htm

As wrong as it may be, homophobia still appears to be rife both within the industry and within it's audience. Just look at how homosexual, or even effeminate characters, are portrayed - either as heels or as comedic relief faces. Given the amount of rumors and leaks in today's industry, is it not strange that the only known active gay wrestler is OJ? Everyone's commendable comments in favor of freedom of sexuality is fantastic but it, unfortunately, doesn't hide the truth that, while improving, this is still far from all encompassing. Hopefully the (closet) doors will open some day soon and all that will be thought about a wrestler is his ability.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

The fuck is with all these gay topics lately? Gay gayyity gay gay. He did you know some people are gay, which is not straight? Its gay?

Anyways, who gives a fuck. Code of conduct involving sexual harassment and professional behaviour remains as prevelaint as ever regardless of sexual orientation. Violate it, you go down. Don't, then its irrelevant.