Sol Ruca recently spoke candidly about the challenges she faces regarding discussions of her racial identity online.
During an appearance on a podcast hosted by Stephanie McMahon, the NXT star discussed how conversations about her background often resurface around Black History Month, sometimes leading to heated debates among fans on social media.
“I feel like Black History Month, I’m mixed, I feel like a lot of people don’t really accept that, or I guess some people accept it, some people don’t I do feel like that is — it’s always crazy every year when this month rolls around and people are like, ‘Why are you calling her Black? She’s not Black.’ Or other people defending me and stuff. I don’t know, I think people just need to, like, why would I lie about that? I don’t know, I think people just need to be a little nicer to each other…”
Ruca explained that some critics have gone as far as demanding proof of her background, including asking her to share photos of family members.
“I get a lot of people that are asking for proof. Like, ‘Oh, prove it, show me a picture of your dad.’ And then I do, and they’re like, ‘He’s mixed, he’s not full Black.’ And why does it matter? It always baffles my mind every time people start finding out again. I feel like it goes in waves of people, like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know she was black.’ All this stuff. I’m like, guys, I understand how I look, but genes are crazy.”
The WWE talent emphasized that she has always been open about her background and identifies as mixed, but feels the topic often sparks unnecessary judgment.
“I’ve never claimed that I’m a black woman, I know I’m mixed. But I still think it should be accepted. I feel like a lot of mixed people have this identity crisis because it’s like, ‘Where do I fit?’ And people are going to tell you that you’re not this, or you’re not that, or you’re not Black enough, or you’re not white enough, or you’re whatever. And I’m just like, why does it matter?…”
Ruca added that while she sometimes finds the discussions difficult to navigate publicly, she remains confident in her identity.
“It’s a weird topic that I still really don’t know how to navigate, but I mean, I know who I am, I know who my dad is, I know who my mom is, and, like, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Ruca continues to compete on WWE NXT, where she has become known for her athletic in-ring style and rising presence on the roster.
