Earlier today (Aug. 18), the wrestle web discovered that Dustin Rhodes replied to a post on X featuring self-described “Unapologetically ULTRA-MAGA Patriot” who goes by “Just Jen Rx”. The Aug. 14 post included a bathroom selfie of the influencer wearing a t-shirt with a women’s restroom sign and the words “come and take it”, and posing to emphasize her chest and firearm.
She captioned the AI-seeming nonsense with “Hey ISLAM, come at take it. I dare ya.” Because Muslims want to destroy all non-Muslim
communities by taking away gender-neutral public toilets?
The hodgepodge of thirst trap and discriminatory fear-mongering worked on currently rehabbing AEW and ROH veteran Rhodes, who replied with heart emojis and the “hook ‘em” hand sign used by students, alumni and fans of the University of Texas Longhorns. Dustin was born in Dallas and grew up in Austin; he also named his Ring of Honor stable “The Sons of Texas”*.
Many followers weren’t worried about Rhodes UT cred, and were instead expressing their anger and disappointment that the 57-year-old Rhodes would support Jen’s post, let alone the bigoted, trumpery “causes” it was promoting. That included TNA’s Mustafa Ali, who’s spoken often throughout his career about the harm done by Islamaphobic stereotypes.
I respect you and your family immensely. You showing support to something like this is really disappointing.
That prompted Rhodes to delete his reply and apologize to Ali, who accepted the apology:
Rhodes: My apologies @MustafaAli_X . I am not that person. Genuinely like the photo. Did not read caption and don’t agree with that at all.
Ali: I appreciate the apology, please be careful about anti-whatever rhetoric posts. Normalizing it is dangerous for all of us. Be well, Dustin.
Rhodes never addresses Just Jen Rx’s t-shirt, or specifies where he stands on the “protecting gender-neutral public toilets” implications of her photo. Those of us who aren’t scared of others using adjacent stalls to go to the bathroom in our vicinity and try to help everyone understand that they shouldn’t be either? We’re left to presume Dustin overlooked that in favor of the influencer’s… holstered handgun.
My apologies for liking a firearm pic. Did not not read the caption and that is my bad. I by no means, and you all know, I am not a racist person. We all bleed red. Truthfully liked the firearm in picture, nothing more. I sincerely apologize
Yall can think what you want, but I am or have selective reading. Not a lie. Once again, i am sorry for not reading the post. I am 110% againt what she said after looking. I am being honest.
He then announced his exit from the app/platform altogether before directing followers to his Instagram:
Think I’m gonna quit this app. No matter how many people i help, or how many i inspire, there is always so many trying to break you down. Tired.
Rhodes has been out of action since last July, getting both his knees replaced in the process. He said he would be ready to return in the spring, but we still haven’t seen sight of him in either of Tony Khan’s promotions. We’ll see if this influences that one way or the other.
* This is context, not Texas libel. My alma mater’s in the Lone Star State. I lived there for 14 years, and still have a lot of people there — including my UT grad brother-in-law and his family in Austin. Point is, I know for a fact it’s a big place full of all kinds of people with all kinds of views, not just the ones espoused by their elected officials.
