I Spoke Out, Then What?

Where has wrestling gone a year after the speaking out movement? What has been accomplished if anything? As far as I see it not much.

The abusers are still getting work, many never even facing disciplinary action. Their “fans” still support them despite their abusive actions. Promotions including WWE are still employing them, while many of us who spoke out aren’t getting bookings.

On top of the slap in the face of not getting booked, many of us are still getting threats and constant online harassment for speaking out. I get harassing messages from not only “burner accounts” but from real peoples accounts as well. My weekly talk show is constantly being taken off air live, which has forced us to switch platforms over and over. If it isn’t being taken down when its live, people are making copywrite infringement claims against us… we don’t use music, and rarely play clips, our show is entirely our voices. And its not just me, I see it on other womens social media when they out up posts, photos or videos. When I see this happening I rarely see anyone calling out the offending parties other than the women themselves, and maybe a few of their friends. If you claim to be a ally to women, do better!

Then to take it a step further many companies have begin putting unqualified women into positions just to say they have a woman on the team, instead of asking the vast array of women in this industry who have put their time in behind the scenes as well as in the ring. Instead I see women who are hired for looks, or followings, much like the way independent female wrestlers were overlooked for fitness models and soft porn stars during the diva division era of the WWE. Who cares that you have women in the industry who would me more than willing to fill these roles, lets find some women who know zero about wrestling, nor even seem to remotely care. Or you have NWA doing the most tone deaf shit ever, and announcing a women’s event on the year anniversary of speaking out, while never apologizing to me or the countless others David Lagana assaulted or harassed during his tenure with the company. Inside sources have told me he is still working with them in some capacity, potentially personally working for Billy Corgan. Fucking gross if this is true.

Shout-out to those who have made real changes that have the power to create a lasting impact on the industry. Those who have have put in policies to remove people for bad and degrading behavior, those who have zero tolerance policies, and those who are putting together sexual harassment training for professional wrestling companies. Also shout out to those who actually have put women who have served this industry into positions of power. There are so many of us with skills that are overlooked simply because we are women. Shout out to those who are refusing to work for promoters who still support and book these creeps and to those who are using their social media platforms to help get these guys out of the industry.

To those of you still supporting the abusers, and harassing the victims, I hope karma serves you well. To the women being sued by their abusers, I hope justice serves you, because the reality of sexual assault is MOST victims do not get heard, let alone get justice. Real life isn’t an episode of Law and Order. The struggle continues as long as we allow it to. To those fighting, keep fighting!

Sexual Assault in the Cannabis Community: Me too, But I Fight Back

It started with a hashtag #MeToo and women all over began recounting stories of sexual assault, and rape. First, it was a few hundred, then a few thousand, and by yesterday it was in the millions. We are not alone. If anything this shows we need to fight back harder than ever before to stop this abhorrent behavior.

On Thursday night, I was at Terp Market Hollywood, as I always am, we help promote the event, as well as help with inside promotions. Before you think to yourself, that I must have been dressed as a booth babe, stop yourself, as I was wearing jeans, a tank top, and my chucks. Even if I was wearing something else, I still would not have deserved to get assaulted. I had just taken photos of the gift bag for the night, to make a flyer to send out, but had no reception or service inside the venue. So I went outside and was going to head towards the back alley, as I had rather do that then go out onto the street, to send the post.

The vendor who was in the spot that blocks the back side of the parking lot, hugged my friend, then did not give me the option to say no, even though I tried to dodge him, and he hugged me anyway. When he pulled away from the hug he ran his hand along my body and grabbed my left breast, and held it for a moment in his hand. My first reaction was sadly not to powerbomb this man through his table, but to walk away quickly before I incited a riot. I walked towards the front of the venue and found one of the promoters of the event.

Immediately the situation was handled. The promoter asked me what I wanted to do, and the last thing I wanted to do was get the police involved, or incite a riot, so I said to make him leave and tell him he isn’t welcome back. I let other vendors and friends know what was going on as well. The man who did this to me claimed he did not remember doing it (less than 5 minutes after) or who I was. He was also DRUNK AS A SKUNK. Despite claiming to not know who I was, as he was packing up his things, he was pointing me out and calling me “The Bitch who got him thrown out”. Well, now he can call me “The Bitch who made sure he was never booked again”.

Do not book Marthas Best Edibles and Medicinals for your event. You are supporting someone who thinks they have the right to sexually assault women. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO TOUCH YOUR BODY AND MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. If this man has grabbed your breasts, or butt, as another comrade told me he did to her, please come forward. If you have been sexually assaulted by ANY man in the industry you work in, COME FORWARD. Do not be silent. Prevent other women from facing the same as you did. We must stand together against inappropriate and dangerous behaviors.

Huge shout out, and lots of love for the Terp Market Family, and how they handled the situation, everyone else could learn a lot from them.

Here is a photo of the offender, and his booth. DO NOT LET HIM VEND AT YOUR EVENTS. If I am at an event he is at in the future, I will be making announcements and holding signs in front of his booth that he is a sexual predator. I am not taking this lightly and neither should you.

The owner of Marthas Best Edibles sexually assaulted a female volunteer at Terpmarket LA on 10/19/2017