Integrity Score 190
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Growing up, I was always really scared of what people would say, in the wrestling community. It’s been one of the biggest reasons why I came out so late, in 2018, after my senior year of wrestling.
I was scared that because it's such a physical and high-contact sport, people would think that I wrestled because I was gay. I didn't want that to be the reason why people saw me any differently.
So entering the room, I always felt like I had to leave some identities behind and that stays true. Even after I came out.
I struggled with so many questions: How do I tone down some of my identity before going into the room? How do I not make people feel uncomfortable? How do I go in there and just be a wrestler and not be myself?
It was always a battle that I had internally with myself and I hated it. I hated that I had to feel like I had to hide some identities, that I had to hide and tone down who I was.
I would hate for anybody to ever have to feel that and I know some people do. It's really sad that we have to do that when walking into a space, where we should feel like we're comfortable and safe.
It's definitely an internal and external battle, to be sacrificing some of your identity in order to continue to do something that you love.
[As told to @Ragi Gupta — continued: https://www.pixstory.com/story/degendersports-alex-cruz-the-ignorance-and-shaming-in-locker-room-language1679716804/203773]