Newly unearthed documents detail the lengths the US government went to in the ’60s to try to deport WWE star Pat Patterson over suspicion he was gay.
Patterson rose to fame as one of the chief architects of the WWE. Born in Canada, he emigrated to the US in 1962, when he began touring the US as a pro wrestler. At the time, wrestling was still considered something of a niche sport, and didn’t have the popular following it has today.
Throughout his career, Patterson lived as an openly gay man among friends, family and co-workers. He found a longtime boyfriend in Louie Dondero; the two maintained a relationship for more than 40 years until Dondero’s death in 1998.
Related: WWE Superstar Darren Young comes out as gay — and happy!
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Patterson came out publicly as gay in 2014, and is now celebrated as the first gay star of the WWE. He died in 2020 after a battle with cancer; he was 78.
Newly resurfaced documents in a report by David Bixenspan for Mel Magazine outline the now-shuttered US Immigration and Naturalisation Service’s (INS) repeated efforts to deport Patterson for being gay.
Obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the documents reveal the INS started a years-long investigation of Patterson in 1964. The agency’s objective was to obtain evidence of “homosexual activity” in order to deport him back to Canada.
The documents detail witness interviews from 1965 and an investigation by the “Portland Police Department morals officers at homosexual parties in Portland.”
One witness reported that Patterson and Dondero attended “‘gay’ parties at his home,” but noted Patterson was not seen “engaging in homosexual activities with other persons at the parties.”
Related: Josh Howard shines a light on the origins of American homophobia in ‘The Lavender Scare’
After the investigation picked up again in 1966, the INS began deportation proceedings claiming Patterson provided the government with a fraudulent work itinerary.
A memo shows that as part of the proceedings, an investigator questioned Patterson about his “rather effeminate mannerisms” and dyed blond hair.
When asked directly if he was gay, Patterson denied and said accusers were “jealous and were trying to get him into trouble.” The same year, the INS requested a psychological evaluation of Patterson.
The agency was ultimately unsuccessful, and Patterson would go on to obtain US citizenship in 2002.
BigFloridaBear
This story is 60 years old. It is literally before the Stonewall Riots when the cops raided gay bars. LBJ just rolled his eyes in his grave over this story.
MISTERJETT
it’s called history and the best reason to study history is that it will help you to understand the significance of human events. Studying history will give you the tools to: understand the historical context of the present. formulate more effective plans for the future. gauge the consequences of actions.
mikeTigg
Nicely said MISTERJETT
barryaksarben
wow, so we should just not even give it a thought. ANything after how long? 60 yrs, 30 yr. 10 hours, or ten minutes. It is history and every group of humans on this planet want to know their history. the only reason to try to stop people finding out about their true history is to erase them and their history. This man was a hero for living out loud way back then and if he had just been left alone more people would have followed his example but we know why people didnt live out loud – horrible laws that were unconstitutional that targeted people like us. To think his story doesnt matter is just ignorant
pugsandcoffeeplease
Well!
Aren’t you a delight!?
mailliw110
Cops were “raiding gay bars” long before Stonewall.
Troyfight
Wow….check out a documentary (brief intro) on YouT search for “Pat Patterson recalls coming out to his parents: The Life & Legacy of Pat Patterson sneak peek” …..talks about sex with a guy that excited him, but got him kicked out at home at 16…and there he begins
OhPlease
He was a well-known rapist and serial sexual predator of both children and adults. There are many documented references to management covering up his activities for decades. He SHOULD have been convicted and then deported! More crap reporting from a pseudo journalist. FYI: He’s not the only one WWE and other promoters covered up either. Ask Aurelian Smith about his dad sometime, that’s a doozy.
BigJohnSF
You must work for the FBI.
linedrive
So his activities were well-known and covered up? Which is it?
mikeTigg
And you don’t think they would have found reason to deport him even on a trumped up charge as they did thousands of others?
Donston
mikeTigg, not saying that sexual assault/child predator stuff is legit. But we should all know by now that that shit can go down for years with barely anyone making a fuss. And these things are covered up. Once again, not saying those accusations are true. But just because he didn’t get arrested for it doesn’t mean it’s not true.
mailliw110
Name one.
valkiron
mailliw110, you asked OhPlease to name one, how about Mel Philips, or Terry Garvin?
I came here looking to see if anyone would bother to do the research that this site didn’t. Happy someone did. Pat Patterson was a legendary wrestler and an even better backstage guy, but he was a sexual predator and a pedaphile. Look up Pat Patterson and the cream team on your search engine of choice. If that’s not enough for you, look up Pat Patterson and the WWF ringboy scandal. He preyed on low level independent wrestlers and children. There were multiple people in the industry who confirmed this.
cuteguy
Absolutely appalling. This will happen again if the GQP take over. They must be stopped