Pro Wrestler Anthony Bowens Comes Out As Gay

Professional wrestler Anthony Bowens came out as gay nearly two years after previously embracing a bisexual identity.

Bowens released a YouTube video Tuesday alongside boyfriend Michael Pavano and said he no longer felt comfortable identifying as bisexual because he can only envision himself with a man.

“I prefer to be labeled now as gay,” Bowens said.

The 28-year-old athlete said he came to a full realization about his sexual orientation over a long period of time.

“Most people who come out say they had a moment in their youth when they figured out something was different,” Bowens said. “They just knew they were gay. I never had one of those moments.”

In his video, he said he grew up primarily interested in women, and some time in high school developed an interest in men.

But he says when he came out two years ago as bisexual, it was “a very real thing.”

“I identified myself as bisexual because I really didn’t know much about the LGBTQ community,” he said. “I didn’t dive in that much because I was still closeted.”

Bowens stressed he did not come out as bi to “hide” being gay.

“Let’s put a stop to that right now,” Pavano told viewers.

While Bowens appears to brace for criticism from within the LGBTQ community, comments on YouTube so far have been overwhelmingly supportive of the wrestler and his personal journey.

Bowens wrestled in his first match in 2013 and made his WWE debut in 2016.