IMPACT Wrestling star Gisele Shaw comes out as transgender during Pride Month.
Making her the first out trans-femme wrestler signed to IMPACT and the second to a major North American wrestling promotion.
During an appearance on Canadian morning show Breakfast Television, Gisele Mayordo, known to professional wrestling fans as Gisele Shaw, publicly came out as transgender ahead of scheduled appearances at Toronto Pride.
The 33-year-old Filipino wrestler said:
“Today, I’m fully living my life to the fullest; truly authentic, freely,” “I am transgender and I’m very proud.”
In 2019, Nyla Rose became the first openly transgender wrestler in history to sign with a major American promotion, by signing with AEW (All Elite Wrestling).
In December last year, a wrestling fan had to be ejected from an AEW Dynamite event after holding up a transphobic sign. Nyla Rose’s response, along with that of her wife, was perfection. Click here for that.
Gisele Shaw comes out as a proud trans woman 🏳️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/WLoHoLxL6Z
— Female Locker Room (@femalelroom) June 24, 2022
Shaw was met with a ton of support from wrestling fans on social media but admitted it was “super scary” to make the announcement on live television, however adding that speaking about her identity helped things feel “more normalized.”
Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Shaw expanded more on the timing of her announment at the reasons behind it: ‘There is really no perfect time to be coming out. It’s my journey. Now just felt right for me.”
Discussing the current global debates around trans inclusion in sport, she added: “Sports is great, I would want everyone to be included.”
‘That’s why I want to come out now, to help people”
Shaw graduated from the Lance Storm’s Storm Wrestling Academy in 2015 and has wrestled for many international groups including RevPro, Progress Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling: EVE while holding championships with all three promotions.
“I’ve known Gisele for a long time, I guess it’s been about five years,” IMPACT Wrestling vice president Scott D’Amore told Outsports.
“She’s a wonderful, charismatic passionate woman. She has drive and a determination to succeed in pro wrestling. That’s what drew me to her and why we connected so well.”
“She made the decision to live openly and be true to herself, and I don’t know if there’s a better decision a human being can make.”
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