Professional wrestler Anthony Bowens
says in a new interview that he realized he was bisexual in high
school.
The 27-year-old Bowens covers this
month's issue of LGBT glossy Attitude.
Bowens, who grew up in New Jersey and
often wrestlers under the name “Vigilante,” came out publicly in
a 2016 video with his boyfriend, YouTube star Michael Pavano.
Bowens, who won his second title in
2016, defeating Matt Macintosh for the WrestlePro Championship, said
that he realized he was attracted to men and women in high school.
"I think it was somewhere in the
middle of high school. I was sitting at a table and a couple were
walking down the street and I was like ‘Wow that girl’s
beautiful.’ Then I noticed that I was also looking to see who she
was holding hands with and I was like 'That guy’s kind of
attractive too,'” Bowens recalled.
He added that he was surprised at the
pushback he received from the gay and straight community.
“I didn't know that there was this
big – I wouldn't say 'war' – but discrepancy,” Bowens
said. “Which wasn't the point of me coming out.”
“If I was with a woman – or anybody
was with a woman – and they married her, and they were with her for
the rest of their lives, that doesn’t change the fact that they’re
still stimulated by men. That doesn’t make you straight, you’re
still bi.”
“If you were to call me gay, I'd be
like 'OK.' I'm not going to get pissy over it, you can call me what
you like,” he added.