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Wrestling star celebrates “Rookie of the Year” award by coming out as gay

This just in: Professional wrestler “Superstar” Jake Atlas is celebrating being named the 2017 Southern California Rookie of the Year by announcing to the world he’s G-A-Y gay!

The 23-year-old wrestler from Los Angeles recently came out in a tweet that said, “I’m proud to be the first openly gay Southern California Rookie of the Year.”

Related: Pro wrestler Anthony Bowens on the trials and travails of being openly bisexual

Jake first came out to his family in 2010, when he was a sophomore in high school. Since then, he’s kept his sexuality a closely guarded secret. Until now.

“I chose to wait to come out publicly because I was afraid,” he tells GayStarNews“I have always been afraid.”

He continues, “Wrestling is also a very masculine sport that is sometimes not the most progressive. I was afraid of any hate, backlash, and rejection from it.”

“I was afraid that it would hold me back from achieving my lifelong dream of one day wrestling for the WWE.”

Related: Beefcake pro-wrestler Mike Parrow: “I’m gay”

To his surprise, Atlas says the response has been the exact opposite of what he was expecting.

“The reaction has been incredibly positive from close friends, peers, and promoters,” he says. “I have had the opportunity to share stories with others in the same community and find support to help me embrace my sexuality.”

Oh, and just in case you’re wondering…

“I am very much single,” Jake says.

Scroll down for pics from Jake’s Instagram page…

Superstar & the Bomb Squad. ??

A post shared by “Superstar” Jake Atlas (@iamjakeatlas) on

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