WWE: The Double-Standard In News Coverage Holds Back Women’s Wrestling
Gossip and relationship rumors that exist as a double-standard within WWE hurts positive progress within women’s wrestling and the women’s evolution as a whole.
It would be easy to blame sexist behaviors within women’s wrestling on old creative, or the Attitude Era. One could point fingers at backward-thinking fans or the WWE Divas Division. But the truth is, WWE is apathetic towards double-standards that exist within their rosters, and one could even go as far as to say the company encourages them.
Monday, WWE announced that Chyna would be inducted into the Hall of Fame with the stable D-Generation X, where she was the only female member for two years. Originally added to the group as the “bodyguard”, Chyna would partake in heelish behaviors, helping them win by applying low blows to the groin area of the group’s opponents.
In Chyna’s book, If They Only Knew, the legend claims that the members of D-Generation X weren’t thrilled at first to let a woman overpower them on screen. Chyna didn’t let the sexist qualities of others stop her success, though, because the Ninth Wonder of the World went on to become the first woman ever to enter the men’s Royal Rumble match, the only woman to hold the WWF Intercontinental Championship, first woman to be in the King of the Ring tournament, and first woman to hold a number one contendership to the WWF Championship.
Chyna was crucial for the real introduction of intergender wrestling in the mainstream, after a singles career fighting the likes of Jeff Jarrett, Triple H, Chris Jericho, and Kurt Angle. She was a driving force in changing women’s wrestling.
With all these accomplishments, it took WWE three years to induct Chyna into the Hall of Fame after her death, and then only doing so as a member of a stable with all men. Her personal life seemed to put the induction on hold. Triple H, a member of D-Generation X who worked closely with Chyna, and who now holds a prominent position within the company, stated he had concerns about her induction, implying he was worried children would search for her and find out about her adult film career.
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Some fans reiterated that concern, saying that Chyna’s personal decision to abuse prescription pills and make questionable life decisions was of her own making, and that her personal life is fair game when considering her for HOF induction.
But there’s an underlying double-standard that exists within WWE that prevents women wrestlers from being able to start from the same spot men wrestlers do, which in turn prevents female roster members from succeeding in the same manner. Equal opportunity and fair play simply just does not exist within WWE.
Chyna spelled this travesty out in her documentary Wrestling With Chyna, which was the focus of a feature on the departed legend, in US Magazine.
“I have to be this aggressive athlete,” she states in the film. “I had to look tough and try to look pretty, and have makeup and hair and a little cleavage at the same time. … if you’re a woman in the public eye, you’re just never going to win.”
That unfortunate truth can be seen when Divas reigned the women’s part of the main rosters, being made to compete in bras and panties matches, mud matches, and “what’s your fantasy?” matches just to be able to do what they love.
The men’s roster never had to partake in matches that didn’t place the emphasis on their athletic ability. They never had to resort to degrading events in order to just succeed in their passion.
The double-standard extends to life outside the ring, as well. Google “WWE women’s rumors” and you’ll find a handful of articles about the new tag team titles, and a decade’s worth of articles and gossip on the women’s personal life, relationships, sex life, cat fights, and emotional stability. Google “WWE men’s rumors”, and you’ll find rumors on upcoming fights, and comments on their placement within the company.
The difference is outright and infuriating. Why does WWE and the wrestling community insist on treating women wrestlers like reality television stars and gossip magazine features, instead of athletes that WWE also claims to see the women as?
Carmella’s relationship with Corey Graves became “talk of the town”, when Graves’ wife, with whom he had separated from, had posted on Instagram that the two were dating behind her back. Naomi felt a huge backlash after her husband Jimmy Uso was arrested, when rumors started to fly that she was being “punished” at Elimination Chamber by losing the tag team title match, and that she would soon be leaving the company. Toni Storm had to delete her social media after personal photos and videos were hacked and released online, as she endured further abuse online as a result of this disgraceful violation of her privacy.
These are just the most recent examples of how women wrestlers are affected the most when it comes to their personal life being put on blast. Do another Google search, and you’ll find articles like “8 WWE Relationships That Were Doomed To Fail”, a WWE playlist entitled “AJ Lee’s romantic relationships”, “WWE Announcer Charly Caruso On Relationships”, “15 Female WWE Stars Who Are Still Single In 2018”, “WWE Doctor Chris Amann Had Relationship With Former WWE Divas Champion”, and a slew of articles that insinuate Nikki Bella is nothing without John Cena.
So, the question is: how does this double-standard hurt women’s wrestling? Simple. By treating women wrestlers like actors in a tabloid, a star in a reality television show, or a socialite on a bad behavior binge, the focus becomes their personal relationships and choices outside the ring, instead of their athletic ability within the ring.
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If WWE truly believes that the women are as good as the men, and that the women’s evolution is a driving force not only to be reckoned with, but unstoppable, they must remove the underlying sexism that exists within the core of the company. No wrestling company deserves a pat on the back for finally realizing that women can do anything men can do, especially one at the top of the industry.