Wrestling legend CM Punk joins trans youth rally
CM Punk has been a vocal supporter of trans rights throughout his career. (Getty/Canva)
CM Punk has been a vocal supporter of trans rights throughout his career. (Getty/Canva)
Wrestling legend CM Punk showed his support for transgender youngsters by joining a protest against the rollback of gender-affirming care in the US.
The “Best in The World” grappler, whose real name is Phillip Brooks, joined the rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Sunday (29 June), which was protesting against a recent decision by the city’s largest healthcare provider, UPMC, to end gender-affirming care services for trans teenagers.
UPMC announced the decision, which took effect on Monday (30 June), after directives from the Trump administration pressured them to end the practice or face criminal prosecution. Officials said that it would continue to offer psychological and behavioural support “within the bounds of the law”, adding: “We empathise deeply with the patients and families affected by these ongoing changes.”
While in the city for a live broadcast of WWE flagship shows, Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, Punk shared photos of the protest on Instagram, writing: “Let’s go Pittsburgh.”
A vocal supporter of trans rights, Punk has expressed his allyship inside-and-outside the ring.
During his brief stint at AEW in 2023, Punk, the self-professed “Voice of the Voiceless”, raised his voice for LGBTQ+ people.
As part of the wrestler’s infatuation with ice-cream bars, Punk highlighted a promotion from Pretty Cool Ice Cream, which donated a chunk of its proceeds to trans youth charities.
“I got a lot of hate for reposting that message,” he told the crowd. “Somebody, a nameless, faceless person on the Internet, said: ‘Why do you support that trash?’ I thought about replying but you can’t argue with stupid. You just both look stupid.
“The reason I support trans kids trans, grown-ups, gay, straight, lesbian, whoever, is because I know when I was growing up, I didn’t fit in anywhere.”
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