WWE star Sonya Deville spoke with NewNowNext to discuss how she’s dealing with the COVID-19 quarantine. She also talks about being on Tough Enough, revealing she had a girlfriend, and her Youtube series with fellow Fire and Desire member Mandy Rose. Highlights are below.
How she’s dealing with her quarantine:
I think it’s important to remain calm. It’s cool, in a weird way, that we now have free time to spend with family and loved ones. Hopefully, we can use it to spend undivided time with them. Typically, we’re always working and on the move.
Being on Tough Enough and revealing she had a girlfriend:
I was on Tough Enough, a reality show where winners get contracts into the company. On the premiere episode, I was doing an in-ring interview and the first question was, “Are you in a relationship?” I don’t think anyone had an idea if I was or wasn’t, or that I was a lesbian. I hadn’t told anyone. But I said, “Yeah, I have a girlfriend.” It was the first time I said those words out loud. I said it on television and was forced to live my truth from then on.
Whether she was worried if coming out would hurt her in the industry:
I wasn’t hired yet. I wasn’t with the company yet. I didn’t know if it would affect my chances on the show. I didn’t know what it meant. It was my naïve mentality back then. I wasn’t really okay with myself, so I don’t know how I expected anyone else to be. I wasn’t out yet, wasn’t open yet. I was young, having my first relationship with a girl, and I still had my guard up. I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin yet. It’s crazy because it’s now four years later and I’ve never been more comfortable in my own skin, and I’m happy to advocate and give that confidence to someone else like me.
Her Youtube series with Mandy Rose:
It’s a YouTube series with me and my best friend and tag team partner, Mandy Rose. We travel all over the world with WWE and look for the best donuts and do a review show. We sample glazed donuts, so we can give a true judge of the quality and not deal with toppings. The best donut is in Lafayette Louisiana. It’s a tiny, little hole in the wall called Meche’s Donut King.