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Welcome to the first-ever SLAM! Speaks. This is the launch of what will become a monthly feature here on SLAM!, where the staff will give their unabashed, uncensored thoughts on issues in pro wrestling. Each month, the SLAM! staff will be given a subject and will then give their thoughts on the topic at hand on Fridays. On a rotating basis, writers will be given an opportunity to go all out on their thoughts, in "The Last Word".
The following week, you, the SLAM! audience will get a chance to voice your opinion. Your thoughts will be published on the site one week after the original SLAM! Speaks article goes live.
In order to participate in SLAM! Speaks, all you have to do is e-mail the roundtable moderator Jon Waldman with your thoughts. Please ensure that your subject line is SlamWrestling, otherwise your e-mail may not be recieved due to junk mail filters.
Now sit back, relax, and get set for the first-ever SLAM! Speaks.
SLAM! Speaks Topic #1 - "Is Sable right in saying that the WWE is sexist,
giving jobs only to those
women with the right look instead of right abilities?"
Jason Clevett
WWE once tried the “talented women” route. I don’t think
anyone was watching Bull Nakano & Bertha Faye for T&A. It was still
a bathroom break, despite the fact that the Nakano vs. Blayze series provided
some really great matches. The current crop of Divas are nice to look
at, and sex sells. It’s two faced of Mero to make the comment, as she wasn’t
hired for her wrestling ability.
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Bob Kapur
Sable’s comment implies that a woman can’t be both attractive
and have wrestling ability -- I don’t believe that to be true. There
are plenty of WWE Divas who meet both criteria: Molly Holly or Trish Stratus
for example. This suggestion that beauty and ability are independent of one
another is, to me, the more sexist view. Furthermore, it’s hard to buy
the argument that a company is sexist when its most powerful person (Linda McMahon
– CEO) is a woman.
Greg Oliver
I agree that the WWE only hires a certain type of woman for their shows
-- athletic and good looking. But really, that goes for the male wrestlers too.
The
days of the fat, balding oldtimer still working is past. So if they discriminate
against both sexes, how can it be sexist? The WWE has gone out of its way to
promote a women's division, especially on Raw, despite a lack of enthusiasm
from their crowds. That's certainly to their credit.
Chris Sokol
I think Sable is right when she says that WWE looks for sex appeal; I mean
that's the only reason they brought her back. WWE does good
though with some of the women they bring in. For instance, Trish Stratus was
brought in to be a T&A delight, but now she has become a great women's wrestler.
With women like Stacy Keibler, you know she's there for her assests; she can't
wrestle a damn lick. Bottom line - WWE focuses too much, not all, but too much
on T&A and not on actual wrestling ability.
Jaya Roopansingh
Sable has no right to say what she said, considering she became one of the
first "divas" based on their looks instead of their ability. Did Lance
Storm really get a fair deal? He has all the ability in the world and got nothing
because he lacks the certain charisma of the rest of WWE's male wrestlers. If
the men are being treated the same way, then how can anyone say it's sexist?
Being a WWE superstar is not just about ability and that's something every wrestler
knows before they get into the business, so no one should complain after the
fact. No one thought Chyna was a striking beauty. She still rose to stardom.
Remember Luna Vachon? It's not how you look, it's what you do with how you look.
That goes for anyone wanting to walk into a wrestling ring.
Jon Waldman
Yes, the WWE wants a certain look for their wrestlers, but it's not restricted
to the women. Just about every male that has been called up from OVW over the
last while has fit an archetype of being tall and chiseled (eg. John Cena, Rene
Dupree, Randy Orton). The only wrestlers that don't have this "look"
are those who have been brought in from other companies (Paul London, Akio),
have had their bodies covered to hide their physiques (Mordecai) or finally
got their chance after years in the "minor leagues" (Nick Dinsmore).
In short, it's not sexism; rather an overall preference by WWE for the "beautiful
people".
The Last Word
Corey David Lacriox
And the truth shall set you free.
That is exactly what Sable discovered with comments about WWE and their presentation of women. But it was far from being any kind of a major news flash, both in her comments and the end result, her getting fired.
Since the inception of Vince McMahon's "sports entertainment" genre, a clear evolution in presenting women as a pure T&A product has taken root. Sex sells and the WWE has striven to present that with their Divas, blown spots in tow. The end result is sports entertainment marks giving praise to the Diva matches as credible displays of wrestling proficiency. Sufficed to say, these individuals have never set eyes on female pro wrestling from Japan. As such, they come off looking naive to put it mildly.
Whether it's because of sheer contempt for women in wrestling, or a lack of mature vision for quality story lines, women in WWE will always be displayed as eye candy. The company is not interested in presenting serious, competent female wrestlers. If they were, you would see names like Momoe Nakanishi, Meiko Satomura, Ayako Hamada, Mariko Yoshida and other female wrestling greats from Japan on the roster.
Then there's the select number of women workers based here in North America
who far surpass their WWE counterparts in athleticism, ring competence, and most
importantly, passion. But because such brave souls don't meet the minimum Playboy
physical attributes, they will sadly remain on the fringe of the wrestling world.
What makes this reality all the more tragic, is the simple fact that T&A
is everywhere in our society, easily accessed via TV, movies, video games
and the Internet. So it's not like WWE is offering anything unique with one
of the any given clothes ripping escapades. In fact, as seen recently
with the disinterest in the Diva search contest, a significant number of
fans are making it clear that heaving breast cleavage alone will not appease
them.
Sable has certainly benefitted financially from McMahon's obsession with T&A. With that, she said what most intelligent observers already knew and it certainly won't change how women will be used in the long run.I will, however, applaud her audacity in making her remarks in a public forum.
If the minimum result is generating some serious discussion on the topic on
the role of women in professional wrestling, then she was more than right to
make the statements.
Now it's your turn. What are your thoughts on Sable's accusations against
WWE? Send
us your opinions on the issue of body versus ability in WWE women's wrestling.
-- compiled by JON
WALDMAN