Wrestling world celebrates former WWE superstar Gabbi Tuft as she bravely comes out as trans
(Instagram/Gabbi Tuft)
The wrestling world is celebrating some of the biggest news to hit the community in a while – that former WWE superstar Gabbi Tuft has bravely come out as transgender.
Wrestlers, former athletes and fans alike have thrown in their support for Tuft – who wrestled under the name Tyler Reks – after she announced that she is transgender. The former WWE star revealed that she’s now using female pronouns and opened up about the support she’s felt from family, friends and fans.
Tuft appeared on WWE’s Raw, SmackDown and WrestleMania before leaving the ring to spend more time with her family and to create a fitness company.
https://twitter.com/GabeTuft/status/1357446760025710593
In an interview with Extra, she said she knew she was trans as early as age 10 when she would sneak into her mother’s closet and try on her clothes. “It just felt right,”she said.
Tuft continued: “But I suppressed it my whole life just because of society, knowing that people didn’t accept it.
“So I pushed it down as far as I could.”
Tuft’s received an overwhelming amount of support since coming out
A number of former WWE colleagues quickly threw in their support for Tuft. Chris Masters – who held the Intercontinental Title during his time in WWE – replied to Tuft’s initial coming out Instagram post with: “Respect.”
On the same post, IMPACT Wrestling’s Matt Cardona commented: “Love you Gabbi.”
Brian Myers – best known for his time in WWE under the ring name Curt Hawkins – shared his support for his friend. He shared a picture on Twitter of the two which depicts their time working together before Tuft’s transition.
Hawkins wrote: “I got nothing but love and support for my friend.”
I got nothing but love & support for my friend @GabeTuft pic.twitter.com/Loljp70TmJ
— Brian Myers (@Myers_Wrestling) February 5, 2021
Sports and entertainment columnist and podcaster Graham “GSM” Matthews said Tuft was the “first wrestler to ever follow me here on Twitter and that was almost exactly a decade ago”. He added: “Really happy to read today’s news. Congrats Gabbi!”
.@GabeTuft was the first wrestler to ever follow me here on Twitter, and that was almost exactly a decade ago at this point (June 2011). Really happy to read today's news. Congrats, Gabbi!— Graham "GSM" Matthews (@WrestleRant) February 5, 2021
Of course, the national transgender charity Mermaids also shared a post in support of Tuft.
“I am no longer afraid and I am no longer fearful. I can now say with confidence, that I love myself for WHO I am.”
Congratulations to Gabbi Tuft 🏳️⚧️💗 https://t.co/CoZVD6XHl3— Mermaids (@Mermaids_Gender) February 5, 2021
In another post on Instagram, Tuft thanked fans who had reached out in support and who were “seeing my heart”. She wrote: “You have reaffirmed what I already knew, which is that we as humans truly are beings of love and light.”
