Fred Rosser Says He Came Out In WWE To Inspire Others To Accept Themselves

Fred Rosser formerly known as Darren Young in WWE spent over ten years in WWE. During his tenure with the promotion, he was involved with The Nexus stable, as well as form a tag team with Titus O’Neil called Prime Time Players. The most prominent memory of Rosser, who presently competes in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, is his time as Young in the WWE.

Rosser decided to openly come out as homosexual during an interview with TMZ in 2013, making him the first professional wrestler to do so while contracted to WWE. He discussed why it was so crucial for him to do so on a recent edition of “Insider’s Edge.”

There are many reasons why I wanted to come out publicly. With WWE I had reached the top of the mountain. So I pretty much sacrificed my career to inspire others to be and accept themselves.

One of them was having the opportunity to be able to bring my partner backstage into the world of professional wrestling. To be able to walk with him on the red carpet and be happy and be confident. And I was able to do that. Being the first openly gay WWE Superstar, I now have a duty to instill confidence in our youth and to lead by example.

Advertising

Advertising

By being the first, I’ve paved the way for other gay athletes to come out and be themselves. Not just gay athletes, but anyone that gets bullied in silence. I speak to kids all over the world about my ‘Block Hate’ campaign and the damaging effects of bullying. That’s where my journey continues now.

Even if that was a compelling enough cause in and of itself, the former WWE Tag Team Champion also had personal reasons for doing it. Rosser stated that he wishes to serve as an inspiration for everyone who has experienced bullying.

Since his departure from the company, Fred Rosser plied his trade in the independent circuit. Currently, he is the reigning Strong Openweight Champion. During a recent interview with Under The Ring, Fred Rosser revealed that he’s had conversations with WWE about a potential return. Let’s see what’s in store for Rosser in the future.

What was your reaction to Fred Rosser coming out? Sound off in the comments!

h/t to Wrestling Inc.