In a social media post, Impact Wrestling's Gisele Shaw has accused Rick Steiner of verbally accosting her.
Shaw tweeted the accusation against Steiner, who she says repeatedly accosted her at WrestleCon on Friday, calling her "a dude," "filth," "a piece of trash," and told her to "get the f*ck away from here." Shaw also says that Steiner referred to another Impact talent by using a slur.
Shaw says that the incident took place in front of other wrestling legends who did nothing to intervene. She says that she is publicly acknowledging the incident not looking for sympathy, but because Friday was the International Day of Transgender Visibility, and that she is standing up for herself and others who face the same types of situations daily. Shaw is a transgender woman.
Shaw tweeted:
I have been bullied all my life and have never stood up for myself because I'm scared that I would get beat up physically, mentally, or emotionally. The bullies in my life have always silenced me, but that ends today!
I was at an autograph signing today at Wrestlecon and while I was walking to my table, I hear someone yelling "you're a man," "you're a dude," you're a piece of trash," You are filth," "get the f*ck away from here."
I kept my head down and kept walking as I did not want to acknowledge that hate. When I arrived at my table, I spoke to another Impact Wrestling talent who was at the signing with me and mentioned the incident. It didn't sit well with me and I wanted to know who was saying that because it's unacceptable, so I decided to take a walk in that area and I hear that same person saying the same derogatory comments.
I looked at the person and it was Rick Steiner saying those statements. I was shocked and could not believe that this was even happening. To have someone saying those comments who a lot of people look up to and consider their hero was quite shocking and disheartening.
I was in disbelief so I asked him, "excuse me?!" He kept repeating those hateful phrases and started yelling at me in a public setting. It was inexcusable and unacceptable!
Another disappointing part about this whole thing was that there were other wrestling legends who just sat there, turned their heads away, did not want to get involved, or stand up for what's right because it involved "one of the boys." Judging from that experience, it was more important for them to watch something wrong go down as [opposed] to standing up for someone who's being bullied and doing what's right.
I am not writing this because I want sympathy. I am writing this because I am done being bullied to silence. Today is International Transgender Day of Visibility and I am standing up for myself and for other people who go through the exact same situation on a daily basis.
I want everyone to know what kind of a deplorable person Rick Steiner is and that this cannot be tolerated. This keeps happening because people let it slide and do not take any action. If you do business with these [types] of people then I will not do business with you.
I want to thank all of my Impact peers who were present during the incident and tried to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately a member of that same peer group was also verbally accosted by Rick Steiner being called a "f****t" earlier in the day.
I am very fortunate to be working alongside such incredible people in a company that has no room for hate, bullying or judgment. We're not just co-workers, but a family.
Steiner was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2022, and is the father of NXT Champion Bron Breakker.
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