13 trailblazing WWE and AEW wrestlers you might not know are LGBTQ+, including Sonya Deville
Piper Niven and Leyla Hirsch are two LGBTQ+ wrestling stars. (WWE/Frank Jansky/Getty)
You may have heard of Cassandro, one of the world’s most famous LGBTQ+ wrestling stars, but World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) are home to many other queer wrestlers.
Here are the 13 LGBTQ+ WWE and AEW wrestlers that we currently know about.
Abadon (AEW)
Abadon is an LGBTQ+ wrestler who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, and who has become well-known since making their AEW debut in 2020.
In January, Abadon made their Ring of Honor (ROH) debut, which currently operates a sister promotion to AEW.
It’s hard to miss Abadon’s dramatic looks in the ring, from their neon hair to leather gear.
Trish Adora (AEW)
Patrice McNair, known in the ring as Trish Adora, is a freelancer for the AEW. She is the first Pan-Afrikan World Diaspora Wrestling world champion.
As well as the AEW, Adora has made appearances in Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Shayna Baszler (WWE)
Shayna Baszler is a former kick-boxer and mixed-martial artist. She is a three-time WWE women’s tag team champion.
In 2013, Baszler revealed she was dating a woman – thought by many to be New Zealander and fellow WWE star Dakota Kai.
Anthony Bowens (AEW)
No list of LGBTQ+ wrestlers would be complete without Anthony Bowens, who currently wrestles in the AEW as a member of The Acclaimed group.
With his two fellow tag team partners, he stands as the longest-reigning AEW World Trios champion.
The wrestler told Sports Illustrated: “I’m representing the small-town kid who was told he’d never make it, and I’m here for the shy kid [who] is ready to burst out of his shell and be that social butterfly.”
Bowens is married to YouTuber Michael Pavano.
Sonya Deville (WWE)
Next on our list of LGBTQ+ wrestlers is professional wrestler and mixed-martial artist Daria Rae Berenato, who fights as Sonya Deville on the Raw brand, entered the WWE in 2015.
Deville came out as a lesbian in 2019, making her the first openly gay female wrestler in WWE history.
She married model and social media influencer Toni Cassano in February.
Diamanté (AEW)
Priscilla Zuniga, known as Diamanté, is a Cuban-American professional wrestler. She’s also known under the ring name Angel Rose.
Diamanté joined the AEW in 2020 but it was only last year that she officially signed a full-time deal.
In 2019, she revealed that was in a relationship with fellow wrestler Kiera Hogan. The pair have even competed against each other in championship tournaments.
Leyla Hirsch (AEW)
Russian-born wrestler Leyla “Legit” Hirsch was adopted at the age of eight by an American family. Her career in amateur wrestling began when she was 15.
Hirsch is a lesbian and got engaged last year.
Posting on Instagram to announce the engagement, Hirsch wrote: “When you proposed to me on our [first] anniversary, it was the best day of my life… I finally got the opportunity to ask you to marry me, and give you the same feeling that you gave me five months ago when you got down one knee and asked me to be your wife.”
Kiera Hogan (AEW)
Kiera Hogan is best known for her career in Impact Wrestling, as a former two-time Impact Knockouts Tag Team champion, but is currently competing in the AEW.
Hogan is in a relationship with fellow professional wrestler Diamanté.
The pair went face-to-face in the inaugural ROH Women’s World Television Championship, which Diamanté won.
Dakota Kai (WWE)
New Zealand wrestler Cheree Georgina Crowley, known by the ring name Dakota Kai, is a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team champion.
She performs on the Raw brand and is a member of the professional wrestling stable Damage CTRL.
The WWE star was close friends and is thought to have had a past romantic relationship with Shayna Baszler.
Mercedes Martinez (AEW)
Jazmin Benitez, who fights under the name Mercedes Martinez, is currently signed to the AEW after a stint in the WWE.
Martinez is a former ROH women’s world champion. In 2019, she revealed she identifies as a lesbian, is married and has a son.
Piper Niven (WWE)
Scottish professional wrestler Kimberly Benson, known as Piper Niven and previously as Doudrop (a slang term used to refer to lesbian ejaculation or someone who is plus-sized), performs on the SmackDown brand. She is a former WWE Women’s Tag Team champion.
Niven came out as bisexual in 2019, tweeting: “Happy Bi Visibility Day. Guess who’s ready to tell the world.” In 2021, she married her fiancé of two years.
Tegan Nox (WWE)
Welsh professional wrestler Steffanie Newell, who goes by the name Tegan Nox in the ring, is known for performing on the SmackDown brand.
Speaking to PinkNews in 2020, after coming out as bisexual, she said: “I’ve been out to friends and family for a while, they all know that it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female to me. If you make me laugh, make me happy, I’m all for it.
“So many people have messaged me saying that because I came out, they felt the confidence to come out too, which is such a big deal for me because I want to use my platform to help people like that.”
Toni Storm (AEW)
Australian Toni Robinson, better known as Toni Storm, is the current AEW women’s world champion – the third time she’s held the title.
She came out as bisexual in 2021 and married fellow wrestler Juice Robinson the following year.
Well done to all of these pioneering LGBTQ+ wrestlers, making strides for visibility in the ring!
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