Throughout his professional wrestling career, Anthony Bowens has proudly represented theLGBTQ+ community on AEW television as somebody who identifies as gay and has continued to advocate for others who have difficulty with opening up about their sexual orientation. Bowens first announced that he was gay in 2019, but didn't publicly come out in professional wrestling until 2023 in a promo on "AEW Rampage," and two years later he's now credited the promotion for being supportive of his journey andrevealed which two stars helped him feel comfortable with expressing his true self.
"To be able to represent the LGBTQ+ community every week because I felt like I didn't have much representation when I was growing up watching wrestling. I mean, there was maybe one, two, if that, but it's really cool to be able to live my dream and also have people relate to your story," Bowens saidduring a recent interview with "Jimmy V3.""It's been great working at AEW because I always feel free to be myself ... one of the contributing factors to coming here in the first place was when I was first an extra here. I just noticed people like Sonny Kiss and Nyla Rose walking around not worrying about anything, judgment free and being able to live their lives normally like everything should be. So, it's a great environment to work in."
Bowens has openly said in the past that coming out has completely changed his career for the better, as he's been able to connect with new friends and build new relationships with fellow wrestlers on AEW's roster. Bowens also continues to be a leader in the LGBTQ+ community outside of wrestling, as he served as a Grand Marshall this past June at the 2025 Dallas Pride Parade.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Jimmy V3" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
