The first openly gay pro wrestling legend has died at 79

Pat Patterson wrestled some of the legends of wrestling, including Sergeant Slaughter. (Photo by © Wally McNamee/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Growing up a closeted gay kid in rural Massachusetts, I always found a sanctuary sitting in front of the TV watching the WWE (of course, it was the WWF at the time). Watching Hulk Hogan and Earthquake, Dusty Rhodes and…