Women in Professional Wrestling: Not Just Pretty Faces

Opinions are a dime a dozen these days. You may not agree with what I’m about to write, but I think women in professional wrestling, in the ring and in the crowd, while making momentous strides these days, are sometimes still not thought of as elite, powerful or as knowledgeable as they should be. Oh, we know more than half the men out there and the ladies in the ring can take on any buff brute these days, but there’s still those out there that don’t think we’re on the same level.

As a young girl who idolized the likes of Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Elizabeth, Sensational Sherri and Lita, I didn’t talk to others at school about my love for professional wrestling. I hid it from everyone outside of my family because it was a “gross” or “brutal” sport to them. Today, I proudly and loudly wear my “Fearless like Nikki” badge of honor and run on the treadmill in my “Legit Boss” shirt because the times have changed. Women in the ring give women outside the ring a strength to dream big and conquer their own goals. For example, Nikki Bella teaches young girls that strength is just as good as skinny. Alexa Bliss teaches girls it’s okay to be different. While on many levels these are characters, but they’re also real women connecting with other real women and, okay, even men.

While today, there’s many more girls in the crowd and many more ladies outwardly dreaming big and training to become superstars in the women’s divisions of many different promotions across the US, sometimes our opinions on the subject are thought of as “cute” or “nice,” and some women don’t even get a chance to get in the ring. Check out some of the most fearless superstars in wrestling today, and a few from the past, who also happen to be females. Next time, I’d love to feature some some women from other promotions that deserve just as much respect. I’m grateful to have a unique voice in the wrestling industry and I’d love to hear your thoughts on women in wrestling and the crowd as well! Sound off below!