AEW: Cody Rhodes makes important statement against homophobic tweet directed at Sonny Kiss
AEW executive and wrestler Cody Rhdoes stood up for his colleague Sonny Kiss on social media.
For months, wrestling fans have been wondering when AEW would finally book Sonny Kiss in a major program or match. Recently, Kiss has been building momentum and now has a TNT Title shot against Cody Rhodes at the Fight for the Fallen TV special this coming Wednesday.
Kiss is one of the most talented wrestlers on the roster and is sure to steal the show in this title match with Rhodes, who has lived up to his reputation as one of the top performers in the company he helped start.
Unfortunately, Kiss, a gay, gender-neutral wrestler was on the receiving end of egregious homophobia on social media that was directed to him in the replies of a tweet from the AEW account hyping up a title match that deserves all the hype in the world.
Cody Rhodes responded to these horrible comments by taking a strong stand in support of Kiss. He first stated that he didn’t want to give the person’s words a signal-boost, but he wanted to make a “clear” statement to other wrestling fans around the world:
"“If you have a problem with a gay man receiving a title shot, you can kiss my ass.I’m proud to share the ring with Sonny.”"
(Note: I did not embed the tweet in case the quoted reply with the slur the user used showed up.)
That was a brief, but powerful, statement in support of Sonny Kiss that makes it clear the company has his back. AEW received criticism, including from us, about not immediately supporting Nyla Rose publicly in the face of a barrage of dehumanizing, transphobic comments from some social media users. At least Cody, as Kiss’ opponent and an executive in the company, made a statement.
Some way wonder if quoting was the right idea, but gay independent wrestler Parrow, whose work you should check out by the way, had a great take on it.
Actually Cody did the right thing it allows people to see what it’s like to be an #lgbtq athlete. This is said to us daily. Somehow our “sexuality” is equivalent to our talent but not straight wrestlers. @SonnyKissXO is on the cusp of something special, some people just have IT
— Parrow (@Parrow_) July 12, 2020
Next. AEW Fight for the Fallen 2020 Predictions. dark
Sonny Kiss vs. Cody Rhodes is going to be a classic at AEW Fight for the Fallen, and I can’t wait to watch it. More importantly, I’m glad Cody and other wrestlers have come to Kiss’ report. Standing up publicly to homophobia helps both wrestlers and fans who are gay or bisexual feel less alone. As Parrow said, these comments are daily for LGBTQ+ talent, but knowing that there are far more people who have your back can be empowering and combat that hatred.