On Friday evening, Gisele Shaw put out a statement saying Rick Steiner was making derogatory statements towards her regarding her being transgender.
The incident occurred at the annual WrestleCon convention during WrestleMania weekend.
Shaw said that Rick continued to make comments, even when she confronted him and said, "excuse me." She said other legends looked on and did nothing but her peers from IMPACT tried to diffuse the situation.
WrestleCon issued the following statement on the matter:
WrestleCon regrets the events that took place at yesterday’s convention and apologizes to Gisele Shaw. We aim to promote a safe and inclusive environment for all LGBTQAI+ members of the wrestling community. The issue has been addressed and we hope the remainder of the convention can be a positive experience for all.
WrestleCon regrets the events that took place at yesterday’s convention and apologizes to Gisele Shaw. We aim to promote a safe and inclusive environment for all LGBTQAI+ members of the wrestling community. The issue has been addressed and we hope the remainder of the convention…
— WrestleCon - LA March 30-April 2 2023 (@wrestlecon) April 1, 2023
According to PWInsider, Steiner was informed he was not allowed to enter or take part in the remainder of WrestleCon's events.
IMPACT put out the following statement:
Thank you to the millions worldwide who have read Gisele's statement and showed full support for her. Particular thanks go to the organizing staff of Wrestlecon as well as the IMPACT roster and crew who all handled an ugly situation with the utmost professionalism.
— IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) April 1, 2023
Rick Steiner has not commented on the incident.
