Nyla Rose‘s match on the December 22 episode of AEW Dynamite was memorable for the wrong reasons, as a transphobic sign generated some controversy. When the former AEW Women’s World Champion saw the sign, she flipped off the person who was holding it
In an interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Rose discussed the incident and stated that there’s always a line, no matter how any one person feels about a particular perceived issue.
“For the most part, people understood why that sign was wrong,” said Rose. “Maybe that person didn’t quite understand the gravity of what they were doing. You want to boo, that’s cool. But there is a line.”
To elaborate, the former champion emphasized the importance of respect; while she wants people to be “cool” with her status as a binary trans woman.
“People might feel it’s a conflict of their beliefs by simply respecting someone else, but it’s not,” said Rose. “You don’t have to understand or even agree with somebody’s situation to show them simple respect and kindness, like respecting their pronouns and respecting their way of life.
“I’d love for people to be cool with it, but if that’s not your thing, it’s not your thing. But shouldn’t people want to treat their fellow humans with a little respect and kindness?”
Rose is an advocate and a representative for a number of communities; she’s a Native American and Black binary trans woman, and the importance of her prominence on AEW programming isn’t lost on her. Rose described how she has had families reach out to her and tell about the impact she has on them, so her on-screen character is bigger than wrestling.
“People from so many different walks of life have connected with me, and I think that’s wild,” Rose says. “I grew up a wrestling fan, and I found inspiration in my life from the things the wrestlers did. I’m going out there thinking I’m just performing and putting on a show, but people have told me I’m a beacon for them.
“Black families have said they see me as someone who is so strong. As a Native person, I’ve heard from families that tell me it makes them so proud of their heritage, that they’ve broken down in joy when they see themselves reflected in the Iroquois flag. The LGBTQ community has such a prominent figure [in Nyla Rose], and I understand the importance of that. We’re not made to be a punchline; we are not here to be a joke.
“This character isn’t going to be a pushover. It’s meant a lot to a lot of people, and it’s taking me time to process that.”
Rose will face Ruby Soho again on the February 2 episode of AEW Dynamite.
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