Chris Kanyon, really Christopher Klucsaritis, came out as one of professional wrestling’s first openly gay competitors.
Regrettably, even after Christopher Klucsaritis’s recently reported suicide, his sexual orientation is more important to the people of the Googlesphere. Forget that the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Christopher Klucsaritis was found dead in his Queen apartment with “scores of pills” near his body, as reported by the New York Daily News. Forget about the man who was friendly, outgoing, and only 40 years old and had a very successful career within the World Championship Wrestling and the WWE which included a run within the WCW championship tag team “Men at Work.”.
According to those who use Google right now, “Chris Kanyon comes out” is much more significant.
Bravery is at least indicated by “Chris Kanyon comes out”
Out Sports grabbed an interview at about the time that Chris Kanyon comes out. The magazine was told the following by Klucsaritis:
“People cannot say I’m just doing to make a name for myself; I’ve already made a name for myself. I’ve already accomplished almost every one of my goals in wrestling… Coming out isn’t about me. This is, hopefully, about helping others, especially kids, who are struggling with their sexuality. I want to be a role-model to them, someone they can look up to.”
So Christopher Klucsaritis didn’t do it for publicity, or to somehow elevate his career. He did this, no matter what the macho wrestling community might say, out of concern for others. That takes numerous guts.
Gay sports community makes it a big deal
Chris Kanyon comes out was huge news. Looking back on his colleague, former wrestler and author Mick Foley (aka “Mankind”) said on his MySpace blog that he wishes “there was more tolerance within the world, so that people wouldn’t have to struggle so hard and go through so much emotional pain just to live the life they want to.”. He wants Chris Kanyon to find peace, which his suicide shows he was probably lacking, and that others struggling with comparable issues such as depression look to their friends, family, and professionals for care and support.
Maybe depression became a danger to him just as it did for many professional athletes who could no longer perform as they did once before. Foley acknowledged other people who crashed after the cheers died within the wrestling brotherhood.
“I really wish there was some kind of emotional crash pad for wrestlers to land on when the bright lights dim, or when injuries take their toll, or when one is finally forced to face the fact that the next big break just might not come around.”
Chris Kanyon came out already in 2006.
Googlers should care more about how Christopher Klucsaritis lived.
