Hulk Hogan: Would It Really Matter If He Is Gay or Not?

Let's get right to it. Hulk Hogan is suing his ex-wife Linda for defamation of character based on accusations she has made about him having a homosexual relationship with Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, one of his closest friends. Where they go from here is anyone's guess.

The Hogan divorce trial has taken a nasty turn for the worse. It's hard to believe that they ever loved each other to begin with. But that's not what matters to us as wrestling fans. My question is, does it matter whether or not the accusations are true? Does it matter whether or not Hulk Hogan is gay? Well, I think it depends on whoever you speak to.

Since I posed the question, I will go ahead and answer it but I'll take the long way around to do so. As a kid, I was a huge Hulk-a-maniac. I thought he was the best. He was larger than life, great looking, spoke with intensity and determination, fought evil and stood for what was right. He was perfect for the '80s; Real American was the perfect anthem and still holds up today. He sold an image that helped take wrestling to another level, making the transition to sports entertainment. Unless you were a wrestling purist, you couldn't help but get caught up in the wave of excitement known as Hulk-a-mania. He ruled!

My, how things have changed form the 80's. Unfortunately, Hogan's personal life has taken many hits over the years and we have been there through them all. From his son's car accident and subsequent stint in jail to the nasty divorce with Linda and the impact it has had on his family to the nasty words he has exchanged with the Warrior, his one time nemesis, things have gone from bad to worse.

For many of us, it's been painful and too much to handle, causing fans to turn away from the constant drama that is Hulk Hogan. Others walked away even before the drama, as Hogan grew older, being replaced by the next generation of stars who were more exciting or flashy or not as preachy. Rather than being universally loved, Hogan has had to endure the pain of a man without a country. 

The thing is I am no longer a kid, but an adult. I would like to think that I have a better understanding of things and am more open-minded. There is still a part of me that looks back fondly on the joy that Hogan brought to me as a child.

That being said, it wouldn't matter to me if Hulk Hogan were gay. How he lives his life is his own business. It would not diminish everything this man has accomplished throughout his magnificent career. I certainly wouldn't let it affect me. He wasn't trying to sell that image, he was trying to sell one that was easy for a child to understand. That image is the one we bought into because it was easy for all of us to believe in. If he's gay, fine, if not, that's fine too. 

I know that homosexuality contradicts with the image of professional wrestling, a business like Hip Hop, where being gay is considered taboo. There have been a few performers in the history of the business that have used homosexuality as a successful gimmick. Usually, those performers are hated right off the bat because they play on fear. Just look at the success of Goldust or Gorgeous George. However, its one thing to pretend to be gay but its another thing to actually be gay. Would it surprise me if a number of wrestlers were gay in real life? No. 

Hogan hasn't admitted anything, but should he have to if he were gay? I don't think so but that's just me. That's a judgement call on his part. Only he can decide what works for him and his lifestyle. I know that there will be more fans who decide to abandon Hogan because of this and the allegations of abuse that have been hurled at him regardless as to what happens. There's but so much we can take. Am I saying that Hogan is above being abusive? No. I don't know the man.

Being abusive both physically and emotionally is another matter altogether. I couldn't forgive that, because that's not something I condone and neither would a hero or a real man, for that matter. Being true to heroic ideals is something entirely different that I can respect. Let's hope for Hogan's sake that the fans remember that. At the end of the day, he's only a man; a man carrying his fair share of burdens on his shoulders. Just like we all have to do.

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