Darren Young becomes first professional wrestler to come out

The testosterone-fueled world of professional wrestling marked a notable first Thursday as Darren Young became its first openly gay active athlete, continuing a trend in the past year of prominent male athletes coming out in sports that have in the past been hostile to gays.

The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) star made the announcement to the TMZ.com entertainment website after being asked if he believed a gay athlete could be successful.

"Absolutely. Look at me. I'm a WWE superstar, and to be honest with you, I'll tell you right now, I'm gay. And I'm happy," Young said in Los Angeles.

Young said he believed his fellow wrestlers would have no problems with his decision to be open about his sexual orientation.

His announcement comes a few months after two other prominent athletes publicly declared their own homosexuality.

In February, Robbie Rogers, currently a Major League Soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy, came out, and Jason Collins, an NBA free agent, did the same in April.

In response to Young's coming out, his employer released a congratulatory message.

"WWE is proud of Darren Young for being open about his sexuality, and we will continue to support him as a WWE Superstar," it said in a press release.

According to the statement, Young also took part in an event on Thursday for Be a Star, a WWE-sponsored anti-bullying program that seeks to instill tolerance in children who interact with peers of different religions, races, ages, genders and sexual orientations.

John Cena, a famous wrestler who has crossed over into starring in movies, likewise expressed his support.

"That's a very bold move for him. And congratulations for him for actually finally doing it," he told TMZ.com after hearing about Young's announcement.

While professional wrestling has a lower profile than soccer or baseball, and though its popularity is much lower than at its peak in the 1980s, it remains a lucrative business with a loyal fan base.

According to the Guardian newspaper, the WWE brought in revenue of $659 million in 2012 and attracts some 14 million viewers per week.

Al Jazeera and wire services