women, wrestling and body shaming

I grew up with wrestling because Abah is a crazy maniac when it comes to wrestling. Mum didn't say much and just went with it.

i don't really remember the fights or the wrestlers i watched growing up, because i was so little. But i do remember icons like Jeff Jerrett, Diamond Dallas Page, Stone Cold, The Rock, Shawn Michaels and Scott Steiner. it was only when i was much older, when WWE was made and Stoen Cold retired when i started having my own personal interest in wrestling.

Even though i know that wrestling is a bunch of bullsh*t, that the wrestlers are "acting" or that everything that happens were pre-planned, the fact that the talent is real, is not a joke. the talent that these superstars have in them is nothing but genuine.

Anyways...before i rant too much and go off course, i would like to emphasize that the women's division has come a long way since when they first started.

when i first watched wrestling, i fell in love with Trish Stratus and Lita. These two wrestlers were the few who played the most part in changing the stigma in women's wrestling. Another wrestler who played an evil character, who could wrestle was Victoria.

Trish VS Victoria

 Previously, women wrestlers were stick thin, with blonde hair and skimpy clothes. the board only allowed very few matches among these women. and, they weren't really wrestling.
they would host Evening Dress Matches and Bra and Panties Matches. even worse, there was once they had to wrestle in mud.

During the era, Trish and Lita would dominate the wrestling, getting into matches with each other, winning over each other in different matches. They would jump from the top rope, frog splash, superkick....real wrestling.

After them, came more names like Mickie James, Melina, AJ Lee, Natalya and Naomi. And recently, more and more wrestlers are making their names by the risks they take and the moves they make in the ring.

AJ Lee performing Black Widow

so, i've talked about women and wrestling. where does body shaming come in?

i would like to sincerely apologize to all. growing up with wrestling where women were stick thin figures, and pretty faced, i started judging the ones who weren't pretty enough or thin enough.
this is what sports entertainment has done to me in the past.
i judge the wrestlers by the way they look and dress, and not the way they fight and wrestle.

now, the Divas division has so many body types, broad shoulders, short and thin, muscled women, plus size women, women with hair extensions and colourful clothes.

Naomi in her glow in the dark...everything!

only recently i understood the value of a woman, and that i should never judge them because of their appearances. it took me a while to understand and digest that these women are working really hard in the gym, working on their persona and performing safely in the ring to bring entertainment to fans all around the world.

i don't judge wrestlers based on their weight anymore. all i look at now is that these women are athletes and their accomplishments they've made in their career.
i hope i am able to teach and educate my children along the way that look isn't everything.

so i would like to urge everyone to stop body shaming anybody, even yourself. 

But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark,

You should know you're beautiful just the way you are,

And you don't have to change a thing,

The world could change it's heart,

No scars to you're beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful.

- Alessia Cara

thank you.