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. @davemeltzerWON The Observer is heavily male guest/host skewed, you know that, so any show discussing female wrestling that is entirely peopled by men is going to be (justifiably) criticised. But, okay, to address Lance's points... https://twitter.com/davemeltzerWON/status/1295049964318420994
To begin with, a middle-aged man speaking FOR young women is horribly inappropriate. Why didn't he encourage the women he is speaking on behalf of onto your show,instead of centring himself in the debate? As a woman, and as an ex-worker, I really don't want a man speaking for me.
He spoke about the UK scene, but freely admitted he didn't have direct experience here - so is that conjecture or hearsay? What qualifies him to discuss BritWres?
The point about male wrestlers using intergender wrestling to grope women workers. It happens (it happened to me) so instead of banning intergender wrestling, how about we tell these men not to be sexual abusers, and deal directly with those who are?
(That's the equivalent of saying women shouldn't wear revealing clothes, for fear of how men might behave if they do.) Let's focus on how we bring all of indie wrestling up to a level of professionalism and decency.
The point about men being called out for accidentally groping women they are working with - it happens, but when it does, the woman in question speaks up and damps it down pretty quickly. Where are the men whose lives/careers have been ruined by this? It's a hypothetical issue.
The point about the female worker who had her back broken. Terrible. But the industry is replete with stories of bad workers injuring other workers - male and female. And of larger green workers hurting smaller workers. How is that a gendered issue?
Totally agree about not forcing workers into intergender matches, and booking at least 4 women on a card. But those are not reasons to stop intergender matches taking place for those who want to compete. And while not all women CAN or WANT TO do them, some can and do.
How about we focus on calling out abusers, and bad promoters, and empower women to speak for themselves on this subject? No worker (of any gender) should be forced to do ANYTHING they are uncomfortable with.
But there are women who want to work intergender matches, and who do so very well and very professionally. Why should the bad actions of men take that away from them?
Bear in mind, while wrestling remains a male-dominated industry, and as the commentary around it (which you are a large part of) remains predominantly a sausage-fest, women are not going to react well to men decreeing what we should and shouldn't do. Period.
It's within your power to make positive change in this area by including a rotational female host, and featuring more female guests. I'm afraid pointing at 2 female guests on the show doesn't cut the mustard, when I listen every day and can go weeks without hearing a female voice
