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Sonya Deville has opened up about being the first openly-gay female superstar in WWE.
The Pridefighter serves as an on-screen official and in-ring performer in the company. Sonya Deville has been breaking down barriers during her entire WWE tenure, and she's been a huge inspiration to many people.
In a recent interview with WKBN, she stated that she loves being able to empower other members of the LGBTQ community, and she's aware of the effect and influence being a WWE Superstar has on them.
“I mean, it’s not something that I ever think about like that, right? It’s always just like, ‘Yeah, I am who I am, and I’m a WWE superstar.’ But obviously, I realize the effect and influence it has on other members of the LGBTQ community, and I love being a part of that. That change in that kind of power that I can give to them, like, ‘Hey, if I can do it, you can do it. And if I can be myself unapologetically, so can you. And you should never be ashamed or afraid of who you are or who you love. It’s should simply just be,'” Deville said.
Sonya Deville wants to see more LGBTQ components on WWE programming
The last time WWE incorporated a gay angle into its programming was in 2019 when it was revealed that Lana had an affair with current RAW Superstar Liv Morgan.
Although the whole thing wasn't well-received by fans, it was one of the very rare times when an LGBTQ component was introduced on WWE TV. Sonya Deville hopes that LGBTQ superstars will be introduced in subtle ways in the future.
“Just as you would have a male superstar on the phone with their wife in a backstage segment or interacting with another female, you just have two females or two males interacting, you know, or maybe I’m on the phone with my girlfriend while you’re filming backstage, you know, something like that, that just allows the inclusivity to be there and not in a forced inorganic way, kind of just how it is in life,” Deville said.
Sonya Deville is currently set to collide with 'The Baddest Woman on the Planet' Ronda Rousey on next week's episode of SmackDown.
Do you think WWE should include more LGBTQ angles in their programming? Let us know in the comments below.
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