Late last year, indie wrestler Mike Parrow made headlines when the 8-year veteran of professional wrestling came out as a member of the LGBTQ community. In an exclusive interview with Gay Star News, Parrow made the announcement via an interview, that it was time to announce his true self. It was a brave announcement – while WWE Superstar Darren Young had come out in 2013 (and WWE now also has Sonya Deville, who told the WWE Universe she was lesbian during her Tough Enough appearance a few years later) – the indie scene didn’t have the luxury of multimillion dollar anti-bullying campaigns to back them up.
#MLWFusion @MLW #beINSPORTS @Parrow_ pic.twitter.com/x8vUOcpHtN
— Jocay🇪🇨 (@Jocay19) June 16, 2018
Some naysayers have claimed it was nothing more than a publicity stunt to aid his career, but Parrow’s wrestling star was already on the rise when he made his announcement in December of 2017. After years on smaller indies like American Combat Wrestling (ACW), the Samoans’ World Xtreme Wrestling (WXW) and Coastal Championship Wrestling (CCW), 2017 already saw Parrow reach new heights working with EVOLVE, Major League Wrestling (MLW) and Full Impact Pro. This announcement wasn’t something Parrow needed as a character – it’s what Mike Parrow needed as a person. His honesty – in the pains and lows, to the euphoric highs – became an inspiration to LGBT members in sports, entertainment and regular life.
Yesterday, as part of Pride Month, filmmaker Kenny Johnson released a 15 minute mini-documentary on Mike Parrow’s journey, not just within the wrestling business but within his own soul, as he came to terms with who he was, who he is, and the person he aspires to be. And that is the best version of himself, as a proudly gay athlete, looking to help other members come to terms with their emotions and entering society proudly and without fear, despite the lingering fears due to outdated and archaic stereotypes still existing.
A powerful and important message, watch the full documentary below:
