WWE Superstar Darren Young Comes Out As Gay [VIDEO]
Darren Young became the first professional wrestler to come out as a gay man on Wednesday.
Young, whose real name is Fredrick Douglas Rosser, is signed to World Wrestling Entertainment and performs under the ring name Young. The 29-year-old told TMZ at LAX that he was a gay man. The admission was prompted by the camera man asking if a gay athlete could make it in the world of wrestling.
"Absolutely. Look at me. I'm a WWE superstar and to be honest with you, I'll tell you right now, I'm gay. And I'm happy. I'm very happy," he said.
Once the video was published, Young immediately drew the support of his peers and the WWE organization. John Cena, the current WWE champion, lauded his co-worker for having the strength to admit who he was.
"I know Darren personally. Darren's a great guy. That's a very bold move for him. And congratulations for him for actually finally doing it," Cena said.
The WWE released a statement of support for the superstar. The wrestling empire headed by Vince McMahan said that Young would still be a valued employee.
"We will continue to support him as a WWE Superstar. Today, in fact, Darren will be participating in one of our Be A Star anti-bullying rallies in Los Angeles to teach children how to create positive environments for everyone regardless of age, race, religion or sexual orientation," the rep said.
On Friday, Young appeared on Today Show. He expressed the desire to be a role model for others.
"At the end of the day, I want to be a role model." -@DarrenYoungWWE tells @MLauer
— TODAY (@todayshow) August 16, 2013
Watch Young coming out below.