If you’ve not seen it already – and don’t have a moral objection to clicking through to TMZ – Darren Young gave an interview at LAX saying that he is gay.

It’s an interesting short chat – Young doesn’t seem to want to have an extensive discussion about it, after his initial statement, and why should he? – and it’s important.

Already the comments are coming in, and amidst the ones that are happy and supportive, there are the usual whiners, who say something like this: “Why does it matter that he’s gay? I don’t go around telling everyone that I’m straight.”

Well, it does matter. The interview touched on one of the reasons why – it shows that gay men can make it to WWE and, as Young says, be happy and live their dream.

But it also matters because at shows in 2013, wrestlers still do the spot where one’s on all fours and one’s kneeling behind him, and they encourage people to laugh at the very concept that such very manly men could ever be gay.

It matters because crowds still chant “Gay boy!” at heels.

It matters because WWE had the chance ten years ago to promote gay characters in wrestling, and instead they put the cause back by another ten years.

It matters because Bruce Hart’s book dismisses Adrian Street as having a “fag gimmick”.

It matters because there have been gay and bisexual male wrestlers before who have never publicly said that they are gay.

It matters because not so long ago people lost their jobs – in wrestling and in other industries – for being gay.

So it might seem odd for congratulating someone for talking about their sexuality – but this is big news. And it matters.

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