LGBT In The Ring

Hello, Lovelies! This week, we welcome "Worldbreaker" Brick Savage to the show! They and Brian Bell discuss their transition from powerlifting to pro wrestling, Brick's propensity for finding success out of happy accidents, their relationship with their pro wrestler father as a 2nd generation wrestler, how they implement aspects of their gender identity and sexual orientation into thei...

Hello, Lovelies! This week we head to So Cal to chat with pro wrestler and Alliance For All Wrestling founder Barbie Boi! He and Brian Bell discuss the creation of AFA, Barbie's goal of representation across marginalized communities and the Los Angeles wrestling scene, why MPW is special to him and turning pro wrestling into his own dreamhouse! Follow Barbie Boi on Instagram: @the_barbie_boi F...

Hello, Lovelies! This week, we welcome Player 1 himself Big Game Leroy to the show! He and Brian Bell discuss his upcoming return from injury at Wrestlers Lab, the process of building himself back up after nearly a year out of the ring, how working at T2T helped inspire him to be more open about his queerness and more! Follow Big Game Leroy on Twitter: @BigGameLeroy Follow Brian Bell on Twitter &a...

Hello, Lovelies! This week we welcome back Andey Ripley and Irving West, collectively known as C.R.E.E.P.S., to the show! They & Brian Bell dive deep on their EFFY's Big Gay Brunch 8 experience in Florida, their upcoming title match at Wrestlers' Lab Showabunga 2 and what validation in the pro wrestling space truly feels like! Follow Andey Ripley on Twitter: @andeyripley Follow Irving...

Hello, Lovelies! This week we welcome poet and author of "The Perfect Bastard" Quinn Carver Johnson to the show! They & Brian Bell discuss the poetry collection, Adrian Street, the themes of the book and how they're reflected in the new and old realities of pro wrestling and how the book helped Johnson introduce the art of pro wrestling to the greater art culture! Follow Quinn Carv...

Hello, Lovelies! Today we discuss EFFY's Big Gay Brunch 8 with Required Reading co-host Hollis! He & Brian Bell break down the action, including the violent grace of Dark Sheik and Che Monet, the comical antics of Creeps and models and Hollis' experience as a lapsed fan being introduced to the ever-queering world of pro wrestling! Follow Brian Bell on Twitter & Instagram: @Wonderbo...

Hello, Lovelies! We hit the home stretch of Journo January with returning guest Jack Murley! He & Brian Bell discuss his work with BBC Sport, starting up the BBC LGBT Sport Podcast, falling into his broadcasting role and the pride he felt calling WAW's shows focused on the LGBTQ community! Follow Jack Murley on Twitter: @jack_murley Follow Brian Bell on Twitter & Instagram: @WonderboyO...

Hello, Lovelies! Journo January continues this week as we welcome 2023 QWI Journalist/Writer of the Year Ella Jay! She & Brian Bell discuss her path into wrestling media, why her focus on women's wrestling is vital, feeling good enough and her own personal journey with queerness. Follow Ella Jay on Twitter: @itsellajay Follow Brian Bell on Twitter & Instagram: @WonderboyOTM Follow LGBT...

Hello, Lovelies! Journo January continues this week as we welcome Lucas Charpiot to the show! He & Brian Bell discuss his work with VL Media, covering pro wrestling from a French perspective, the LGBTQ presence in the French wrestling scene, disappearing Rey Mysterio masks and trauma. Follow Lucas Charpiot on Twitter: @LucasCharpiot Follow Brian Bell on Twitter & Instagram: @WonderboyOTM F...

Hello, Lovelies! It's time to talk about New Japan Pro Wrestling yet again as we welcome Rachel Giuliani back for our annual run through Wrestle Kingdom 18! She and Brian Bell discuss the emotional main event, Look King Hiromu Takahashi, Okada acting rather un-Okada, a poignant moment for Will Ospreay, why the Matt Riddle announcement soured New Year Dash and what exactly Gene Blast is suppose...

Hello, Lovelies! 2024 is here and we're kicking off another Journo January month with "Queen of the Ring" Alex Lajas! She & Brian Bell chat her career as a pro wrestling content creator, Church of Joshi, the growing number of women in wrestling media, how her journey of queer discovery paralleled her work, combatting the anxiety of existing in wrestling media as a member of multipl...

Hello, Lovelies! We're closing out 2023 with prolific U.K. pro wrestling broadcaster Mark Adams! He & Brian Bell discuss his work with TNT Extreme, Progress and PCW, his relationship with Kendo Nagasaki, the impact of EFFY's Big Gay Brunch U.K. and PCW Pride Of The Ring and his love for "Child's Play." Follow Mark Adams on Twitter: @MarkAdamsHC Follow Brian Bell on Twitter...

Hello, Lovelies! We're ringing in the holidays with one half of the Flamin' Aces, "The Playboy of the PNW" Zaye Perez! He and Brian Bell discuss Perez's journey in the Pacific Northwest pro wrestling scene, training at Oregon Pro Wrestling School, why he changed his mind about being open about his queerness within pro wrestling and his bonds with Spencer Scott and Jaiden! Follo...

Hello, Lovelies! We close out QWI season for 2023 with the QWI Awards, as voted by the fans and listeners of LGBT In The Ring! Brian Bell welcomes Val Pancakes and Don Halliwell to the show to reveal the winners, including LGBTQ Tag Team of the Year, Personality of the Year, Match of the Year, Best Look and Wrestler of the Year among other categories! Follow Don Halliwell on Twitter: @donhalliwell...

Hello, Lovelies! We've got a double dose of LGBT In The Ring this week, kicking off with the return of TNA Knockout "The Quintessential Diva" Gisele Shaw! She and Brian Bell discuss the QWI 200, her history-making matches with New Japan Pro Wrestling, her thoughts on the return of TNA and more! Follow Gisele Shaw on Instagram: @giseleshaw08 Follow Brian Bell on Twitter: @WonderboyOTM F...

Hello, Lovelies! It's time to talk about the 2023 QWI 200, celebrating the top 200 LGBTQ pro wrestlers of the year! Jack Murley (BBC), Pollo Del Mar (PWI) and Lo McGrath (PWI) join Brian Bell to discuss the number one pick for 2023, standouts from the list, the state of LGBTQ pro wrestling and so much more! Follow Jack Murley on Twitter: @jack_murley Follow Pollo Del Mar on Twitter: @TheGlamaz...

Hello, Lovelies! It's QWI season, so we're kicking things off with something new, an analysis of this year's QWI Awards ballot with Don Halliwell (PWPonderings, Grit & Glitter)! They and Brian Bell discuss the nominees in each category, provide supplemental info for the ballot and relive the best in queer pro wrestling during 2023! Follow Don Halliwell on Twitter: @donhalliwell1 Fo...

Hello, Lovelies! This week we brave the brush with "The Adventuress" Lara Frazier! They and Brian Bell discuss how a lifetime of performance led them to pro wrestling, working the Disney Jungle Cruise, finding homes in Hoodslam & Full Queer and being non-binary in pro wrestling spaces! Follow Lara Frazier on Instagram: @larafrazierkick Follow Brian Bell on Twitter: @WonderboyOTM Follow...

Hello, Lovelies! This week, we welcome a decorated champion of Midwest independent pro wrestling, Terrance Griep AKA Tommy "SpiderBaby" Saturday, to the show! He and Brian Bell discuss his 20-year career, Griep's rejection of Out Magazine's labeling of him as the first out gay pro wrestler, his work as a journalist, the evolution and acceptance of SpiderBaby and his upcoming retire...

Hello, Lovelies! Brian is recovering from injury this week, but there is important QWI 200 news to release, so this week is a mini office hours edition! Brian reveals the release schedule for the 2023 QWI 200, 2023 QWI Awards Nomination ballots and a hefty chunk of a preview of the latest Patreon exclusive episode of the bonus podcast Required Reading! Follow Brian Bell on Twitter: @WonderboyOTM F...

Hello, Lovelies! We kick off year five of the show with returning guest Pollo Del Mar! Brian Bell and the "Manager of Champions" discuss her return to promoting with the Pride Of The Desert Tournament during Palm Springs Pride Weekend on Nov. 4, building platforms to elevate queer talent within the pro wrestling world and continuing to reach out to new audiences! Follow Pollo Del Mar on Tw...

Hello, Lovelies! Brian Bell is solo this week with a special episode discussing their experience covering AEW WrestleDream in person, a personal account of the day that made them deeply emotional and othered, as well as the changing face of sports/wrestling media now that non-binary, genderfluid and gender-diverse people are now present within it. Follow Brian Bell on Twitter: @WonderboyOTM Follow...

Hello, Lovelies! Required Reading, our series all about conversations in media, particularly pro wrestling and cinema, is back. Every episode, I pick a wrestling match and my close friend and past collaborator Hollis picks a film for discussion with one another, with both fitting our own personal definition of the show's title. This month, we honor Bray Wyatt by discussing the Firefly Funhouse...

Hello, Lovelies! We're chatting the new Cassandro biopic, appropriately titled "Cassandro," with queer film critic Shayna Maci Warner! They and Brian Bell discuss Cassandro's legacy and how the film captures it, the lively pro wrestling scenes and the impact of its depictions of queerness and complicated relationships! Follow Shayna Maci Warner on Instagram: @bernadetteteeters Foll...

Hello, Lovelies! This week, we welcome rising British pro wrestling name and WAW Pride champion Adam Bolt to the show! He and Outsports' Brian Bell discuss how coming out pushed Bolt to find himself in the ring, main eventing WAW's Pride show against Mitchell Starr, the impact he hopes to have on audiences beyond what he does between the ropes and making his TNT Extreme debut! Follow Adam...