The state of Oklahoma is reportedly considering a rule change that\'d allow transgender wrestlers to face those of their gender identity.
In December 2023, AEW received a warning after Nyla Rose competed against Alejandra Lion at a taping in Oklahoma City. The motion made by Sports Commission member Larry Lovelace said that AEW would face \"punitive action\" if they allowed Rose to compete against women in the state.
Now, it appears that those in the Sooner State are reconsidering their stance. Records obtained through a public records request show that Commission Administrator Jim Miller informed AEW SVP Chris Harrington that allowing Rose to wrestle violated state rules regarding matches \"between males and females.\" Miller\'s email to Harrington adds:
For your information the Commission is currently in discussion to possibly change this rule. However if it is determined by the Commission that the rule should be changed it will have to go thru [sic] the legislative process for rule-making and would not be in effect until July 2024.
Miller has since retired from his position as Commission Administrator and quietly exited the role in March 2024. He has since been replaced with Diana Fletcher who did not wish to comment on the matters related to the December 2023 match.
AEW President Tony Khan expressed his support for Rose in April 2024 and said he was \"disappointed\" by the position and the warning. Khan was noncommital when asked if the statute will prevent future events in Oklahoma but to date no events in the state have been announced. Khan\'s support for Rose is no surprise as AEW has various LGBTQ+ inclusive programs and has shown support for other LGBTQ+ wrestlers on its roster.
Another Incident
This situation isn\'t the first time that rights to compete have been discussed in the state of Oklahoma. In 2022, Konner Vaughn became a licensed wrestler in the state. He was subsequently banned from having any matches against fellow men as he transitioned from female to male years early.
When Vaughn asked the Oklahoma State Athletic Commission to reconsider their stance, they did not return his emails. Vaughn is currently not involved in wrestling and said the \"soul-crushing\" statute by OSAC played a huge role in him hanging up his boots. Vaughn has said he hopes to return to wrestling in his home state if the rules are changed.
