Wrestlemania 34 offered two huge moments for LGBTQ wrestling fans during Sunday’s entertainment extravaganza in New Orleans.
It started with WWE’s first openly lesbian wrestler Sonya Deville competing in the franchise’s first ever women’s Royal Rumble match — wearing a rainbow outfit, no less.
Deville, who came out in 2015, didn’t win the Rumble, but her outfit was definitely award-worthy:
#WRESTLEMANIA #LGBT #PRIDE #EQUALITY #LOVE Thank you @FinnBalor for doing the same 💜 pic.twitter.com/cDL0xdRa1P
— Sonya Deville (@SonyaDevilleWWE) April 8, 2018
Later that night, Irish wrestler (and renown supporter of the LGBTQ community) Finn Bálor made his Wrestlemania debut by bringing a crowd of LGBTQ people on stage to share his entrance.
Bálor’s costume featured giant rainbow accents, while the New Orleans locals behind him wore his new, rainbow-inspired t-shirt.
Designed to promote inclusivity, 20% of the proceeds from the t-shirt go to LGBTQ organization GLAAD.
Imagine all the people living life in peace…💙💚💛🧡❤️
BálorClub fOreVERyone pic.twitter.com/poJjUhZEfp— Finn Bálor forEVERYone (@FinnBalor) April 9, 2018
Fans were ecstatic to see Bálor highlighting his support for LGBTQ people in the middle of Wrestlemania’s main show.
.@FinnBalor is F O R E V E R Y O N E pic.twitter.com/BTy8d7l7R6
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) April 8, 2018
Finn Balor, the activist. Awesome stuff here. #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/RWoJJR52C5
— Eron Ramadanov (@Eron_PWP) April 8, 2018
i've been watching wwe for 2+ decades and for so much of that time it would be just UNTHINKABLE for a wrestler to have something as simple as that finn balor LGBTQ pride entrance, and it makes me a tad emotional to see it now
— post mania blues (@BossMoz) April 8, 2018
USING HIS WRESTLEMANIA DEBUT TO SUPPORT THE LGBT COMMUNITY I LOVE YOU @FinnBalor
— abby (@DEMONKlNG) April 8, 2018
they’re speaking about the lgbt community on wrestlemania. I really never thought I would ever witness this oh my god I love finn balor so much
— *⋆˚ becca ⊹ (@fIuffychapman) April 8, 2018
old white dudes with wrestling podcasts are going to be so angry about the LGBT crowd behind Finn Balor
— RabbeseKing (@RabbeseKing) April 8, 2018
Bálor’s Wrestlemania debut saw him go head-to-head in a Triple Threat for the Intercontinental Title with Seth Rollins and The Miz, but it was Rollins who eventually won the belt.
Watch Bálor’s entrance below:
Awesome! Finn Balor’s entrance included LGBT+ fans of New Orleans 🏳️🌈 #wrestlemania #wwe #finnbalor #lgbt pic.twitter.com/kMy8r6Z5Db
— P.J. Guinto (@theyellowstereo) April 8, 2018
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