Professional wrestling has a fairly sordid history of being racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, transphobic, homophobic, sizest, ageist, classist, anti-semitic, sociopathic, and offensively stupid. But for all its low-brow charm, pro wrestling has not been without its liberal moments. From embracing feminism to championing the working-class ideal that heroes should be "men of the people," here are five storylines that underscore how socially progressive pro wrestling in the 21st century can be.
1. Eddie Guerrero forms a Latino 'union'
2. Non-violent protest launches biggest storyline of WrestleMania 30
3. Chikara crowns first-ever female Grand Champion
Considering the fact that the biggest prize in women’s pro wrestling Stateside is still called the “WWE Divas Championship,” progress has been unremarkable. Indeed, the sport isn’t treated with nearly as much deference in the U.S. as joshi puroresu, or women’s wrestling in Japan, is.
But thanks to WWE’s “Diva’s Revolution,” the success of the women’s division in NXT (WWE’s “developmental” brand for young and recently acquired talent), and a resurgent popularity of intergender (i.e. women wrestling men) wrestling in independent circuits across the country, women’s wrestling seems to be on the rise in the U.S.
On Dec. 5, 2015, gender equality in pro wrestling reached a zenith when Kimber Lee became the first female Chikara Grand Champion. Although the Philadelphia-based pro-wrestling promotion company previously hosted matches in which men and women were treated as athletic equals, having a woman hold the company’s loftiest title would’ve seemed impossible only a few years earlier.
“All I ever wanted to do was make a change and make a difference. I wanted to show that women are just as tough as the men. This is a huge step in doing that,” Lee said in an interview following her monumental win.
4. Joey Ryan portrays ‘Chase Walker,’ a wrestler coming out as gay
Founded in 2011, the “Wrestling Retribution Project” was a never-released series featuring a bevy of independent, nationally recognized talent. One of its more compelling storylines dealt with Chase Walker, played by wrestler Joey Ryan, a closeted gay man whose rivals threatened to out him.
In an impassioned speech, Walker opined, “It’s 2012. We have gay actors, we have gay sports heroes, and we have gay politicians. And it’s absolutely unacceptable for this kind of bigotry to exist in pro wrestling just because it’s thought of as ‘barbaric’ or 'Neanderthal' or ‘low-brow entertainment.’ It’s time for professional wrestling to join the rest of the world in acceptance and tolerance.”