June is Pride Month, when the spotlight is placed on the LGBTQ+ community. In professional wrestling, representation is better than ever before. We’ve come a long way from Goldust using gay panic to get heat in the early 90’s, as names like Nyla Rose, Jake Atlas, Tegan Nox, and Sonya Deville prove themselves in major companies on a weekly basis.
They’re accepted among peers and fans alike, with the biggest in the bunch right now being Deville. Despite having been out of the ring since Summerslam 2020, Deville has captured the attention of fans with her current GM role on RAW & Smackdown. However, she had fears of not being accepted when she tried out for WWE.
Sonya Deville Is A Modern Trailblazer In WWE
Recently, Deville would do an interview with Variety where she spoke about being the first openly lesbian wrestler in WWE, and the responsibilties that came with. “I really just want to be a voice for the community in sports — specifically, in the WWE. I want to let people know that their sexuality doesn’t define them and how they identify doesn’t define them. And I’m a perfect example of it.”
Considering Deville has been named as an inspiration of Jake Atlas, and one of the reasons Tegan Nox was able to feel safe coming out of the closet as bisexual, Deville is doing a good job with being a voice in the community. However, when she first tried out for WWE as part of Tough Enough, she had fears of her sexuality being a threat to her being able to get a job.
“I honestly thought that was going to hurt my chances of getting hired. That’s just how naive I was. I didn’t accept myself, so I didn’t think anyone else was going to accept me.” This thankfully ended up not being a problem. WWE would have missed out on a major star if they let it get in the way of offering her a deal.
Many fans want Deville to return to the ring, and challenge for either the RAW or Smackdown Women’s Championships. She’s even been commonly listed as a hopeful future Royal Rumble victor. Deville has an undeniable connection with fans, and that’s not as common as it once was in wrestling.
Do you think Deville is a future Women’s Champion in WWE? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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