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!