The pro wrestling world and it’s fandom have been known as a notoriously exclusive boys club. Well, we better make room, because the rise of the female fan is upon us. The WWE is leading this charge with a product that is steadily becoming a “by women, with women and for women” brand.
Lets start with the “by women” part. Shane McMahon’s return to television aside, Stephanie McMahon is the obvious heir apparent to the throne of WWE. It could also be argued that she is the second most powerful person in the industry, second only to her father. Steph has a growing presence in mainstream media and is the champion of female empowerment, equal opportunity and anti-bullying campaigns. She is the Chief Brand Officer of the company and it certainly seems as though she is building toward an all-inclusive, female friendly future.
Argue the execution of the “Divas Revolution” story line all you want, the reality of its message has succeeded. The “Divas” branding has been dropped in favor of calling all performers “Superstars”. The Championship Title has also been redesigned to reflect the equality of the male and female wrestlers. It is safe to assume that this move was either Steph’s idea or, at the very least, subject to her approval. We are talking about the company’s branding and that is her main responsibility.
The Women’s Champion, Charlotte, could not be a better fit to lead this revolution. Strip away the “heel” part of her character and it becomes clear why she has been fast tracked to stardom. She is an extremely fit, talented women that could go toe-to-toe athletically with any man. By her side, a father that would do absolutely anything to see his daughter succeed. It’s a girls dream. Her real life personality is defined by family loyalty, dedication and resilience during tragedy. With a roster of extraordinary women chasing her newly re-established title, there is no sign that this is merely a passing fad. There are also several women that have serious cross-over potential. Bayley alone has the appeal to attract a whole generation of young girls to start watching pro wrestling. Renee Young has the charm and broadcasting chops to become the host of any national network talk show or news program. The WWE definitely wins with these women in the spotlight.
In my personal experience as a wrestling fan, I have never seen a Superstar with a more loyal and vocal female fan base than Roman Reigns. He is truly a Woman’s Champion, equal parts handsome heartthrob and brooding bad-ass. I believe the objective of pushing Roman Reigns was to create a star that “men wanted to be, and women wanted to be with”. As controversial as some of Jim Cornette’s views are, he always stands by his statement that the rabid crowds of yesteryear were mostly women that found the male wrestlers attractive. I believe the decision to make Reigns a focal point of the show is a back to basics attempt to bring pro wrestling back to the glory days and recapture the female viewer and dollar. The move to anoint Reigns, however, has been met with an incredible backlash. The war being waged on social media is hard to ignore. I will cover that in the future, as I do not want to deviate too far from the point at hand.
I view this combination of moves by the WWE as a calculated risk to attract a newer, stronger female audience. These moves are also an attempt to break the preconception of the woman’s role in pro wrestling. Women are no longer having “bathroom break” matches. The over sexualized stipulation matches are a relic of a long gone era. The female fan is better respected and represented. Female Superstars have now been positioned to inspire fans of both genders and become legitimate money drawing performers. As far as genders go, the E in WWE stands for equality.
Four Sided Stories 