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The month of June has become an annual celebration for the LGBTQ communities in both WWE and AEW, and this year has been no different.
This year's Pride month has already led to current WWE star Toni Storm confirming publicly for the first time that she's bisexual, a revelation that was welcomed by the WWE Universe.
Whilst several WWE stars have used their platform and newfound fame to help honor their sexuality, there are also several current AEW stars who are looking to do the same.
The following list looks at just five current stars on the AEW roster who are proudly part of the LGBTQ community.
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#5. Former AEW Women's Champion Nyla Rose
Nyla Rose became the first openly transgender wrestler to sign for a major American wrestling promotion when she signed for All Elite Wrestling in 2019.
The Native Beast has since gone on to become a staple of the Women's Division and is a former AEW Women's Champion. Rose defeated Riho on an episode of Dynamite in February 2020, making her the first transgender Champion in any American wrestling promotion.
After just three months of holding the title, Rose was defeated by Hikaru Shida at Double or Nothing and hasn't been able to reclaim the Championship in the year that has followed.
Rose has since introduced former WWE star Vickie Guerrero as her manager on AEW TV. Whilst it's now well-known that she is transgender, it isn't something that has been used as part of storylines on AEW programming.
Rose has used her platform to raise awareness in recent years and even spoke to Yahoo about educating her own friends and family on the subject after she discovered that this was the way that she wanted to be identified.
"Once I learned what transgender was, everything just kind of clicked,” Rose said. “It was a moment of ‘Oh my God, that’s me. That’s exactly how I feel. I don’t feel right being what everyone else wants me to be.’ I needed to be true to myself and what I felt inside. From that point on, it was a moment of educating my family and my closest friends." said Rose
Rose went on to reveal that her parents were supportive throughout her transition and it wasn't until her late teens that her journey of "self-discovery" began.
#4. Current AEW Superstar Sonny Kiss
Sonny Kiss has been open about the fact that she is gender fluid throughout her time in AEW.
The Concrete Rose signed for AEW in February 2019 and after a tag team run with Joey Janela, she was able to challenge for the TNT Championship against Cody Rhodes.
It was during this time that Kiss was able to put a spotlight on her AEW career and even stated that this Championship match was an important moment for the LGBTQ community.
“I heard about it the week prior, I didn’t know it was actually going to happen. I was shocked because I was just doing AEW Dark, which is totally fine because I love Dark and love performing in general, but when they were like, ‘You’re going to face Cody and it’s on TNT and Fight for the Fallen,’ I was shocked and then it died down a little. A few days prior, I could not sleep and kept thinking about it. It was bigger than me. It was amazing for the LGBTQ (community) having a big title match on national television. It was one of the highest-rated segments that night. It was definitely bigger than me and it was amazing. It was Sonny Kiss, but the LGBTQ community was there (too), and it was for us. I’m not exactly super happy with the match because I let my nerves get the better of me at certain points. Overall, it was a moment and it was needed. I know I’ll have one again and it will be even bigger.” said Rose
Kiss has been a representative of the LGBTQ community throughout her AEW career, but confirmed in an interview with Inside The Ring that half of the roster calls her "he" and the other half call her "she" sometimes in the same sentence.
#3. Current AEW Superstar Anthony Bowens
When Anthony Bowens signed with AEW back in November 2020, the star had already confirmed his sexuality.
In 2017, the Acclaimed star initially confirmed that he was bisexual, before later revealing that he identifies as gay.
During his time in AEW, Bowens has been working alongside Max Caster as The Acclaimed and has been looking to inspire others to follow in his footsteps.
Bowens told Sports Illustrated in 2019 that he is representing the LGBTQ community and the man that it has allowed him to become.
“It means something when a person can see someone that looks like them, gets them, and understands what they’re going through. I’m representing the LGBT community and athletes that are LGBT, but even more than that, too. I’m representing the small-town kid who was told he’d never make it, and I’m here for the shy kid that is ready to burst out of his shell and be that social butterfly." said Bowens
Bowens has been seen honoring his sexuality on his Instagram account throughout the month of June.
#2. Current AEW Superstar Leyla Hirsch
Leyla Hirsch signed with AEW in March 2021 but has been in a relationship with fellow wrestler Ashley Vox since 2018.
Ahead of her official debut in AEW, Hirsch was already well-known to the AEW crowd after making several appearances in the Women's Division.
Hirsch first appeared on AEW Dark back in October 2020 where she was defeated by Women's Champion Hikaru Shida. She later challenged former WWE star Serena Deeb for the NWA Women's Championship on Dynamite, before facing Thunder Rosa in the AEW Women's World Championship Eliminator Tournament in February.
It was following her appearance in the tournament where she was signed to her AEW contract.
Whilst there are several representatives of the LGBTQ community who have spoken publicly throughout Pride month, Hirsch has preferred to remain out of the spotlight.
Hirsch's girlfriend Ashley Vox has been vocal about her sexuality in the past. The fellow wrestler has spoken about LGBTQ representation in professional wrestling in the past as well as the ways in which homophobia can be prevented.
#1. Current AEW Superstar Diamante
Diamante has been appearing on AEW programming since the beginning of 2020, after debuting with a loss to Big Swole.
The former IMPACT Wrestling Superstar later climbed her way up to a non-title match against Women's Champion Hikaru Shida but was unsuccessful.
During her time in IMPACT, the current AEW star revealed that she was in a relationship with fellow star Keira Hogan.
The two stars revealed their relationship in a heartfelt post on Twitter.
“When I’m with you, I act different. In a good way. I smile more and I laugh more. I don’t have to pretend everything is ok when it’s really not. With you, I can drop the fake smile and put on a real one. I don’t feel hurt and alone when I’m with you. You’re easy to talk to, you listen to me, you understand me. I don’t have to worry about holding back with you. I don’t feel self conscious. I don’t ever feel insecure or sad, you show me that you really do care. With you it’s not just an act. You bring out my best self and I really appreciate your company. With you I’m different. With you I’m happy. What I have with you, I don’t want that with anyone else.”
Whilst Diamante has been making a name for herself in AEW over the past year, Hogan has remained in IMPACT Wrestling where she is one half of the reigning Knockout's Tag Team Champions, alongside Tasha Steelz.
