Gabbi Tuft is opening up about her identity. The former WWE star came out as trans in an Instagram post on February 4, writing, “This is me. Unashamed, unabashedly me. This is the side of me that has hidden in the shadows, afraid and fearful of what the world would think; afraid of what my family, friends, and followers would say or do.†She posted the message alongside a current photo of herself sitting next to an older photo. Tuft wrestled in the WWE using the ring name Tyler Reks from 2009–12, becoming known for the “Burning Hammer,†in which she lifted opponents around her neck before slamming them down. A press release described her now as “a fun-loving and fabulous female.â€
Tuft explained her transition in an interview on Extra, sitting next to her wife, Priscilla. “When I was 10, when my parents weren’t home, I would sneak into my mom’s closet and try on her clothes, and it just felt right,†the now-42-year-old said. “But I suppressed it my whole life.†Tuft also said she went public with her coming out in hopes of helping other trans people. “I promise that I will share my story,†she said, “because knowing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel can just be that ray of hope that keeps somebody with us, that keeps them alive and lets them know, ‘Yes, I can do this too.’â€