Transgender WWE star Gabi Tutt has spoken about the moment she burst into tears after a sales assistant misrepresented her.
The wrestler-turned-influencer explained how she felt “down” after the incident with a salesperson in 2020.
It happened when Tutt, 45, decided to go out dressed as a woman for the first time, two months before her official coming out.
“I stood in line at my truck and cried for half an hour,” Tutt told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I didn’t present myself as a woman for over a week – it was overwhelming.”
Tutt, who competed in WWE as dreadlocked gladiator Tyler Reks, often shares images documenting her transition.
Trans influencer Gabbi Tutt, who formerly competed in the WWE as Tyler Reks, shared that she cried after a store clerk misgendered her
The shocking incident occurred in 2020, before Tutt officially came out and identified herself as a woman on one of the first occasions
In January of that year, she moved from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, one of the least welcoming states for LGBTQ+ people
In January 2020, she and her wife Priscilla, along with their daughter Mia, moved from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, one of the least welcoming states for LGBTQ+ people.
Tutt revealed that she learned how to handle a gun shortly after moving to the state by taking lessons from an Army neighbor.
And in 2021, she decided to attend a New Year's Eve party “in full display” after being invited by the same neighbor.
“I walked in the door and got a standing ovation,” Tutt said.
While she acknowledged that her adopted state has a poor reputation when it comes to trans rights, Tutt revealed that her experience has improved significantly since the mall incident, despite some online abuse.
The former wrestler also said her ability to undergo gender-affirming procedures saved her life.
“I woke up every day feeling miserable and feeling like my life was incomplete,” Tutt said. “And my heart breaks for every transgender person who goes through this.”
Tutt said that as a child she dressed in her mother's clothes and was interested in girls' toys.
Tutt's wife, Priscilla, supported her transition, although the two are now in the process of separating
The influencer shared how she learned how to use a gun after moving to Texas
The 45-year-old was positive about her experience in Texas, but acknowledged that her wealth and privilege allowed her to receive gender-affirming procedures that helped her transition
But she pushed aside her impulses when she realized it could get them into trouble. She began weightlifting during her teens and was scouted as a possible WWE star.
Tutt, who performed as Reks, had a career that spanned from 2008 to 2012 and included appearances on Smackdown, Raw and Wrestlemania.
However, during the pandemic, she was able to reflect on her gender identity and made the transition.
“I still wonder to this day what caused these feelings to resurface at 36 years old,” Tutt said. “And I couldn’t figure it out.”
Today, although she is in the process of separating from her wife, Tutt runs a successful fitness business that trains primarily women.
Priscilla has supported Tutt's transition and encouraged her to come out while remaining close to Mia.
“People will say, 'You're getting divorced, Gabbi,' and yeah, the fairytale ending doesn't always happen,” Tutt said. “But I am a successful businesswoman and I have a child who is loved very much and I am a trans woman.”
Tutt regularly shares insights into her transition and hopes to be a role model for other trans women.
Tutt often shares her journey as well as her fitness and lifestyle tips with her fans
She shared how she buried her feminine impulses as a child, only to have them bubble up again during the pandemic, which sparked her transformation
Today, the former wrestler has an active fan base and runs a successful fitness business
Tutt opens up about her journey, sharing everything from videos about her recovery from facial feminization surgery to the effects of hormone therapy and mid-puberty.
She now has 124,000 followers on Instagram and shares her journey as well as her fitness and lifestyle tips with her fans.
She's discussed everything from videos about her recovery from facial feminization surgery to the effects of hormone therapy and mid-puberty.
“I understand what it feels like to go out in public without confidence and afraid of what people might say or do or how they might look at you,” Tutt said. “The solution is to learn to love who you are on the inside.” And we must first accept who we are.”
However, not all aspects of their transition were smooth.
Over the summer, Tutt revealed that she missed WWE more than she expected and expressed her disappointment at being “denied” backstage access at Smackdown at Madison Square Garden.
A WWE representative told NYTimes that the issue was caused by a “shortage of tickets” but that there was still no exception for a backstage visit.