This article contains heavy mentions of sexual assault and harassment. Material may not be suited for all audiences.
I’ve tried seventeen thousand different ways to start this article. I’ve typed and deleted so much, my keyboard is malfunctioning. There are no words, no stellar sentences to describe the anger, the horror, and the genuine sadness I feel. The things you should all be feeling, too.
It was just a short year ago, in the summer of 2020, that the Speaking Out movement took off, prompting hundreds of women to come forward and share their experiences of sexual assault and harassment they faced within the wrestling business.
It’s now 2021 and several, if not most, of the men named in the movement are still employed. Some are heavily profiled.
Darby Allin.
Jay Lethal.
Justin Roberts.
Sound familiar?
These names are prevalent on AEW programming each and every week. In light of his allegations, Darby Allin was awarded a championship title reign. Despite allegations against him, Jay Lethal is the newest All Elite member, and had a match recently against Sammy Guevara (yes the same Sammy Guevara who made disgusting comments towards and about a woman and is currently a champion). Justin Roberts, the voice behind AEW entrances, announcing everyone as they make they’re way to the ring (yes even the sexual assaulters!) has allegations against him as well.
It’s not just an AEW problem either.
It’s well known that Matt Riddle was named in the Speaking Out Movement, and yet still his face remains on WWE television. Every. Single. Week. Names like Jordan Devlin and Austin Theory are also featured.
And to think these are just a very small handful of names. Across the board there so many men who will face absolutely no consequences for their actions. So many men who will get to continue on with their wrestling careers, living their dreams and becoming big names, while their victims fight their silent battle every day.
How do we live in a such an innocent-until-proven-guilty- world that we refuse to believe victims and toss their stories aside like it means nothing? There are actual rapists and sexual assaulters and abusers running around these wrestling companies like they did nothing. All of those brave women that came forward and did the hardest thing they’ll ever have to do and the wrestling world keeps failing to protect them.
I go to school with the person who sexually assaulted me. I see his face every single day, and it’s the most sickening feeling in the world. But I know at the end of the day, in two years time, I won’t have to see him again. He won’t follow me into my career. Two years from now and he won’t be able to ruin anything for me anymore. But for those women who spoke out? When does it end? They’re trying to live their dreams and make names for themselves while their abuses and assaulters are holding championships and main eventing shows right in their faces.
How is it that not a single wrestling company is taking action? How are we still allowing these terrible people to run free without consequences? Why do they still have a platform? What’s the point of having movements and fighting for change if nothing will ever get done?
Maybe instead of fan-driven company wars we could focus our energy on making sure those women get the justice and peace they deserve. Instead of just ignoring the issue and enjoying wrestling as if all is normal and right and just, we could yell a little louder, fight a little harder, make it known that what’s going on is not okay. This cannot be the story for those women. How can people be so aware the business is infested with with these horrible men and still love it just the same? What’s it going to take to create a wrestling world where everyone is protected, and no one has to fear anything anymore?
Those women were failed. They deserved to be heard.
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