Stephanie McMahon Talks Plans To Introduce LGBT Characters On WWE TV
Company seeks to diversify character roster.
During a Beyond Sport event on Tuesday at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, WWE's Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon expressed an interest in diversifying the company's character roster in terms of both sexuality and gender.
Speaking to NBC OUT after the event, McMahon expanded on her plans, telling the outlet, "When it makes sense… absolutely we will integrate LGBT storylines into our programming." The conversation also turned to Pat Patterson, whose new memoir Accepted details his life as a gay man in the world of pro wrestling. "Throughout my life I have grown up knowing gay superstars and executives," she said. "It's always been accepted, but now it's about getting that message out there."
McMahon also detailed the current relationship between WWE and LGBT-advocacy and media-monitoring group GLAAD. "We've had GLAAD come in and speak to our entire writing team and give a whole tutorial on sensitivities, the right words, the wrong words, why those words matter," she told NBC OUT. Undoubtedly, many fans who have followed WWE for years hope that McMahon's words aren't simply hollow promises. Over the decades, the company has repeatedly depicted LGBT characters in the most insensitive of ways.
The company famously snubbed the LGBT community in 2002 with the "wedding" of Billy and Chuck. The former tag team champions - who were implied to have been in a relationship - professed their love for each other and drew mainstream headlines. WWE consulted with GLAAD on the storyline, but when the wedding came, both men admitted that they were straight and it was simply a publicity stunt gone too far.
GLAAD criticized the angle and released a statement that read, in part, "The WWE lied to us two months ago when they promised that Billy and Chuck would come out and wed on the air."