Entertainment News
2006-10-18
Ex-WWE star
speaks out about being gay
Former World
Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Kanyon shared his
struggle to reconcile his sexual identity with his career
Former World
Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Kanyon shared his
struggle to reconcile his sexual identity with his career
this past Wednesday to an audience at Northern
Kentucky University, the Associated Press reports. His
remarks were part of an all-day event commemorating
National Coming Out Day, which included a variety of
speakers meant to foster support and understanding for
LGBT issues.
"You're afraid to
come out of the closet," he told the AP. "I didn't
even realize how much of a relief it would be. I thought,
I will get rid of the fear. I will get rid of the
paranoia just by taking that one step coming out."
Though he
understood his sexual orientation early on and rumors
persisted throughout the professional wrestling
industry that he was gay, it took many years and a
failed suicide attempt to bring Kanyon, 36, to
his current state of clarity and acceptance. After retiring
in 2004, Kanyon gradually took steps out of the
closet, first telling close friends and family and
then finally telling the wider wrestling community
earlier this year at a match in Ontario, Canada.
The NKU campus
has experienced heated debate over the question of LGBT
rights after a student, Jeremy Phillippi, claimed he faced
discriminatory threats based on his sexual
orientation. Since then, Phillippi has filed a
grievance with the Kentucky Equality Federation, and the
university has pledged to continue supporting
LGBT-inclusive student groups and sensitivity training
for faculty, staff, and students. "That was a big part
of why I wanted to be here," Kanyon said. "We need to
educate people." (The Advocate)
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