WWE Women's Revolution or More Subtle Sexism

In the last couple of years, WWE has created what they have deemed a Women’s Revolution in wrestling.  This revolution led to the retirement of “diva” in referring to the female performers. Instead, the women wrestlers would be referred to as “superstars” just like their male counterparts.  It was giant leap forward. 

Women’s wrestling has a long history. However, for all of the great moments in women’s wrestling, there is an equal amount of embarrassing moments. As a long-time WWE fan, I have witnessed so many of those moments.  In the early 2000s, the WWE saw an influx of women competitors who seemed to be more about the package than the substance.  This is not to say that there were not standouts.  Women like Lita, Molly Holly, and Victoria were strong competitors from the beginning.  A former fitness model, Trish Stratus, worked hard to learn the business and became one of the greatest Women’s Champions of all time.  For every great title match, there was a Bra and Panties match.  For those not in the know, a Bra and Panties match is one in which the winner of the match is the competitor who has stripped her opponent down to her Bra and Panties.  

As times changed, the Bra and Panties matches went by the wayside.  However, this was not the end of the gimmick matches.  For nearly every holiday, there was some kind of Battle Royal in which the women were dressed up in costumes for the holiday. Divas’ matches, even those with no gimmick, were the restroom break before the main event, a cool down before the marquee. They were given less time and very little in terms of storyline.

There were competitors that tried to fight against the Barbie doll stereotype.  AJ Lee even called out Stephanie McMahon, Vice President of Creative, for the treatment of the Divas division.  The women were demanding to be heard and respected as competitors. Finally, their voices were heard.

I wish I could say that I have been pleased with the results of this Women’s Revolution.  It’s true that the women are getting more ring time and respect.  The Women’s Championship match was the main event of Monday Night Raw, WWE’s flagship show on more than one occasion. Raw’s women division had the first ever women’s Hell in a Cell match, a match known for its carnage. The Smackdown Women’s Championship was defended in a Tables match on the TLC pay-per-view. 

As a woman, I should be excited, but I’m not. For all of the advances, there is still a ways to go.  In the beginning of this “revolution” much of the storyline with the Diva’s Championship and then the reinstated Women’s Championship revolved around the involvement of Ric Flair in his daughter Charlotte’s title defenses. It seemed to be a sign that Charlotte was not trusted to get the necessary heat (negative reaction) as a heel (villain) on her own. This storyline eventually shifted.

The storylines have not necessarily improved in many cases. The women superstars are sometimes boiled down to feminine stereotypes. For example, a recent feud between Nikki Bella and Carmella centered on the fact that Carmella was jealous of the attention that Nikki received when she returned from career-threatening neck surgery. This feud included accusations that Nikki was only in the position that she worked hard for in the company because she was dating John Cena, a well-established name, in real life. Her own accomplishments were being attributed to her personal relationships. This is not the first time that this has been alluded to in storylines.  

Another example is a recent match between Bayley and Alicia Fox on Raw. This match occurred because Bayley had given one of her teddy bears, a new merchandise item, to Cedric Alexander, a male competitor with whom Alicia Fox has been flirting. It’s frustrating that women are reduced to these stereotypes of being in competition with one another for the attention of a man rather than the athletic competition.  Now, I know that WWE is not athletic competition in the same sense of MMA or other combat sports, but it’s time that the storylines evolve. In order to be a true revolution in women’s wrestling, we must demand more.  Not just in match quality and length, but in storyline and from creative.

Here is what I want to see from this Women's Revolution to truly let it stand up to its name:

• Get rid of the "Mean Girls" gimmicks. Not all women secretly hate each other. Stop acting like women are just trying to stab each other in the back every chance they get. 
• Stop involving the men in storylines as objects of affection that women are fighting over.  We are so much more than the man we involve ourselves with. Women are more than arm candy. As far as this goes, why does a male superstar need to be involved in a women's feud at all?
• Embrace the inner-nerd girl more. These are real women with real interests outside of the ring. You let the New Day embrace their inner nerd, and the crowd loves them for it. It's ok for the girls to be nerds too.
• Stop talking about how beautiful these women are over their work in the matches. Commentary constantly talks about their size and look. If you wouldn't say it about a male competitor, don't say it about a female one.
• Stop naming moves in a manner that emphasizes that it's a woman's move. No more Rack Attack or Chick Kicks. It's a superkick no matter if Trish Stratus does it or Shawn Michaels.