AEW, Sammy Guevara need to do more than apologize
AEW wrestler Sammy Guevara needs to apologize, but he also must do more than that.
Wrestlers, mostly women speaking out receiving abuse from men in powerful positions, are #SpeakingOut about sexual assault, sexual harassment, emotional manipulation, and physical abuse in the wrestling industry.
And at this time, all examples of abuse need to be taken seriously. AEW, unfortunately, has shown that they are currently incapable of doing the right thing after releasing an awful statement attempting to call Jimmy Havoc’s reported pattern of sexual and physical abuse as a mental health issue. They did not even refer to the allegations by name, instead glossing over them.
AEW now has an opportunity to show that they can at least do the right thing by addressing Sammy Guevara’s actions.
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In 2016 on a podcast called the “Raw 4th Hour Podcast”, Guevara, who was working as an extra on a WWE show at the time, said that he wanted to “go and f—ing rape that woman”, in reference to Sasha Banks.
These remarks are a form of sexual harassment, meant to belittle and degrade Sasha Banks’ humanity while upholding rape culture by making rape seem like “just a joke” or something to normally discuss on a wrestling podcast.
Perhaps Guevara has changed, but the burden of proof is on him to show it. He must apologize to Banks, but he must go above and beyond an apology. Guevara needs to actively help dismantle the culture around sexual harassment and abuse, because it’s a culture he, based on the comments he made on the podcast, has likely helped uphold in his past. If he has truly changed, he’ll be willing to put in the work.
As for AEW, they need to show that they do not stand with Guevara’s comments and will hold him and other performers accountable, including wrestlers such as – but not limited to – Jimmy Havoc who have been accused of doing worse.
This is about accountability and actually taking action as part of that accountability. AEW has positioned itself as a conscientious company that wants to make wrestling safer, but their statement about Havoc, which was disgraceful on just about every level, shows otherwise. Their empty promises about pushing Black and LGBTQ+ wrestlers, aside from Nyla Rose’s wonderful title reign, are also on fans’ minds during this time.
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AEW still has a chance to do the right thing and be a part of a progressive future in wrestling, but they have to DO something. And Guevara himself will need to be central in his own accountability and progression as a human being. Let’s see if both are ready to do the right thing. Because let’s face it; it’s not that difficult, and it is absolutely necessary.