For decades, homosexuality has been an unpleasant subject WWE. For example, Dustin Rhodes’ Goldust Persona pretended to be gay and used homosexuality as a way to elicit fever, while Chris Kanyon, who was legally gay, hid his sexuality and prevented him from causing professional confusion.
Today, most fans are embracing that talent comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and sexuality. Wrestling fans have been far more embracing the LGBTQ community. This has resulted in more LGBTQ expressions than ever before in wrestling today. There are 13 WWE wrestlers, past or present, identifying as LGBTQ.
13
Indy Heartwell
She was released from WWE in 2024
- Heartwell is NXT’s multi-time champion.
- She teamed up with Candice Lerae.
- She is currently competing in the independent scene.
She may no longer work for WWE, but Hartwell still has a pretty big support base behind her. In WWE, she was impressed by the ring and became both the NXT Women’s Champion and the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion.
Many may not know that Hartwell is part of the LGBTQ+ community. She has had a girlfriend since 2024.
12
Darren Young
WWE’s first openly gay male wrestler
- Founding member of Nexus.
- One-time WWE Tag Team Champion.
- NJPW’s powerful openweight champion.
Darren Young signed with WWE’s developmental realm for Florida Championship Wrestling in 2009. In 2010, Young participated in the first season of NXT, coached by CM Punk. His involvement in NXT led him to the main roster of WWE, with him and other NXT participants making his debut as Nexus. Young continued to make splashes in WWE as half of WWE players.
Beyond his achievements in the ring, Young broke the barrier as the first openly gay performer in WWE history – appeared in an interview with TMZ in 2013.
11
Gabby Taft
She returned to the ring in 2024
- Tuft competed in WWE from 2007 to 2014.
- She is an online fitness influencer.
- She is trained to return to competition.
Gabbi Tuft has given himself quite a name for himself in the last few years as an online fitness influencer. She also documented her journey as a transwoman in her post-WWE life.
Tuft previously wrestled in WWE from 2007 to 2014. There, she got a bit of success with Curt Hawkins (TNA’s Brian Myers) and team. Additionally, she was also a former FCW Florida heavyweight champion.
10
Shayna Baszler
Queen of Spades
- Two-time NXT women’s champion.
- This was the longest combined day spent as a NXT women’s champion.
- 3 times WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.
“Queen of Spades” is one of the biggest examples of restler, who has been converted to MMA-star in WWE history. After an eight-year career at MMA, including a short stint at the UFC, Baszler turned his attention to wrestling. Baszler is a two-time NXT women’s champion and holds the record for the longest total days he spent as a champion. On the main roster, she won three women’s world tag team championships. Ronda Rousey once and Nia Jax twice.
In 2013, Baszler revealed on the MMA Roast Podcast that he is currently dating a woman. However, she was reluctant to identify herself as a lesbian or bi. Today, the status of the relationship of “Queen of Spades” is unknown.
9
To the palace
The former AEW & WWE star spoke candidly about her sexuality
- First NXT women’s champion.
- Two-time WWE Diva Champion.
- One-time World Women’s Champion.
Formerly known as Page, Saraya helped the revolution in women’s wrestling in the 2010s. He became the first NXT women’s champion and two-time diva champion.
Saraya is known for her prominent relationships with Brad Maddox, Xavier Woods and Alberto Del Rio, but she has revealed that she is actually a Bye on the show “Total Divas.” Star was candid about her sexual experiences with women. Saraya was in a relationship with Ronnie Radke, the lead singer of “Falling in Reverse.” However, the two have been disbanded for a while.
8
Sonya Devil
WWE’s first openly gay woman
- Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with Chelsea Green.
- She teamed up with Mandy Rose for a long time.
- Sonya Deville is former general manager of Smackdown.
Sonya Deville, just 31, has seen the range of wrestling. From his half-time Fire & Desire era with Mandy Rose to his recent work with Pure Fusion Collective and from his days as a general manager at WWE, Deville has been a unique journey with WWE. However, her career began with the show “Tough of Tough.” There, Devil came out and made her the first openly gay woman in WWE history.
Devil began dating fitness model Toni Cassano in 2022. In 2023, the two got engaged and got married in early 2024.
7
Tegan nox
The most shiny wizard girl
- She competed in NXT from 2017 to 2021.
- Tegan Nox joined the Smackdown brand in July 2021.
- WWE released her in November 2021 (and again November 2024).
Welsh-born Tegan Knox had two prominent stints in WWE. Her first stint began in 2017. Unfortunately, Nox suffered a series of knee injuries. In late 2021, she was released by the company a few months after making her main roster debut. In December 2022, Tegan Nox returned to WWE and was featured prominently in the Women’s Tag Team Division along with Natalya. On November 6th, 2024, NOX was released again by WWE.
In July 2020, Knox came out as bisexual – he posted a photo with his then girlfriend, Sierra St. Pierre. The two have been apart for years since then, but Nox believes that the film Captain Marvel encouraged her to come out. More specifically, Brie Larson’s performance as the masterpiece Captain Marvel.
6
Pat Patterson
He was the first openly gay wrestler
- First WWE Intercontinental Champion.
- 11th NWA World Tag Team Champion.
- One-time AWA World Tag Team Champion.
Pat Patterson has been involved in professional wrestling for decades. His career began in the late 1950s and continued into 2020. WWE is the first InterContinental champion and recognized as the creator of the Royal Rumble concept.
Patterson has been openly gay since the 1970s. He was with Loui Dondero for 40 years until his death in 1998.
5
Piper Niven
One of the great powers of WWE residents
- Former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with Chelsea Green.
- She is also wrestling with the ring name “Doudrop.”
- As Doudrop, she challenged Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship at Royal Rumble 2022.
Piper Niven, easily known as Doudrop, is one of the great powers of WWE residents. Niven competed in his first Mae Young Classic, but did not officially sign with WWE until 2019. She made her debut with NXT UK. In 2021, Niven moved to the main roster, where she made her debut raw and re-derived as “Dooddrop.” Niven competed as Doudrop until September 2022, taking long breaks and returned as Piper Niven in January 2023.
Since then, she has spent most of her time teaming up with Chelsea Green. Niven has replaced Green’s former tag team partner Sonya Deville, half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. Niven has been married to her husband since 2021, but the WWE wrestler was announced as BI in 2019 on BI Visibility Day.
4
Nicole Base
She was in WWE easily
- Bass has been signed by WWE and ECW.
- She was married to Richard Fuchs from 1985 to 2013.
- She had a girlfriend named Kristen Maron.
Nicole Base was not in the longest WWE. She signed with the company in 1999 and was involved in a storyline involving Jeff Jarrett. Furthermore, she was Sable’s bodyguard. Additionally, she was also signed to the ECW.
Bass had several notable relationships throughout her life. She was married to a man named Richard Fuchs from 1985 until her death in 2013. After he passed away, she also had a girlfriend named Kristen Maron until Bass passed away in 2017.
