WWE star Finn Bálor says LGBT inclusion ‘should be close to everyone’s heart’
(WWE)
WWE star Finn Bálor has once again spoken out in support of LGBT+ inclusion saying “it should be close to everyone’s heart.”
The Irish wrestler, whose real name is Fergal Devitt, made headlines when he shone a light on the LGBT community during his WrestleMania debut in April, and has since been vocal about standing up for his LGBT+ fans.
Now, in an interview with Sky Sports, Bálor has discussed LGBT+ inclusion in WWE, saying: “I think it should be close to everyone’s heart, really, to be honest with you.
“I don’t see why we should alienate anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, nationality, religion, ethnicity…It doesn’t matter. We’re all humans, living on this tiny little rock, floating through space at like, thousands of miles an hour. We should all just get along.”
WrestleMania, which is internationally and watched by over a million people each year, is known for wrestlers’ extravagant entrances into the venue.
Bálor caused a stir when he choose to walk into the New Orleans stadium flanked by several members of the local LGBT+ community at the event in April.
They followed Bálor as he entered, each wearing WWE Pride-inspired shirts to promote LGBT+ inclusion, a campaign spearheaded by the wrestler, in the sport.
The wrestler also donated 20 percent of the profits from the t-shirts to LGBT+ organisation GLAAD.
(Photo: @FinnBalor / Twitter)
And, in June, speaking to American magazine Sports Illustrated, Bálor said that he wanted to make wrestling inclusive of LGBT+ people.
“I feel like —not that they were excluded, but sometimes they felt like they weren’t included,” he said. “That’s something I felt a responsibility for, to use the platform that I have for good and to help maybe a small amount of people for the right reasons.”
Bálor explained how he first went to the WWE to design the t-shirt but, after the project stalled for a couple of months, he got a friend to design a rainbow version of the Bálor Club symbol, which he then posted on Instagram.
He said this caught the attention of Stephanie McMahon, the WWE’s chief branding officer, who soon set the process back into motion.
(Photo: @FinnBalor / Twitter)The sportsman also said some people had warned him that certain fans could be alienated by his pro-LGBT+ message.
“My answer was if those people think like that, I don’t necessarily want them as my fans,” Bálor said. “That was a risk I was willing to take.”
He added: ““How I feel as a person and what I support as a person always remains the same.
“And that is continuing to support LGBT communities around the world.”
