WWE star Charlotte Flair has opened up on this existing pro-wrestling double standard.
At 39 years old, Charlotte Flair is arguably one of the greatest wrestlers on the roster. A 14-time WWE World Champion, Flair still has a lot left in her career. However, recently writing in The Player’s Tribune, she opened up on the existing double standards over age in pro-wrestling. While male wrestlers continue to stay in the main-event scene even till their 50s, women wrestlers, on the other hand, often fade out in their mid-30s, or even before that.
In her recent write-up, Charlotte Flair called out this practice and bravely slammed the existing double standards. Calling out WWE’s several big names, The Queen expressed how the next step for women’s wrestling is to achieve the same longevity as men’s wrestling.
It’s a thought that had been on my mind for a while — but I’d never quite said it out loud. I almost felt like I wasn’t allowed to say it out loud. Honestly??? I almost feel like I’m STILL not allowed to say it out loud. And I guess I mean it in two different ways.
One, in a cocky way. Straight up. “I’m just now getting good,” as in: To me, I haven’t even peaked yet. Maybe it’s because I started late … I don’t know. But for all I’ve managed to accomplish in this business, I’ve had to learn it on the fly a lot more than people think. And there are so many moments I’ll look back on — great moments — where I’ll think to myself: Jeez … If I had known then what I know now? I would have done this, this, and this so differently. In my head, there are all these aspects of my career that could have been even better. And then as far as the second way I mean it………
Honestly, this is more vulnerable than I usually am — but I’m going to tell you a secret. I’m old.
Not really, of course. I’m 39. But as a female wrestler who’s pushing 40, I promise you: there are people in this industry who already consider me old. Nevermind that I’m literally younger than Cody, who is considered the face of the company, and Roman, who is probably our biggest star. Nevermind that CM Punk, who I’m seven years younger than, main-evented Night 1 of Mania … and John Cena, who I’m nine years younger than, main-evented Night 2.
Nevermind that we live in an era when athletes are extending their primes for longer than ever. For men — and I say this with so much respect for the guys I just mentioned — there’s no such thing as “aging out.” For WOMEN, though?? The rules are just different. For women, as depressing as it sounds, I think a lot of people still only know ONE way to value them: as young and disposable.
And I think you see that in the women’s stories that are allowed to be told.”
She further commented,
“So when I say “I’m just now getting good”…… I guess part of it is bittersweet. Because I think the next big step for female wrestlers — it isn’t the same amount of TV segments, or main events, or titles or money or opportunities as men. The next big step is the same amount of years as men. It’s women getting to be Cody, or Roman, or Seth, or Randy, or Punk, or Cena, or AJ, or Rey: guys who get to work through their 40s, hopefully even their 50s, and it does not matter. They’re killing it. No one cares about it — no one even talks about it. It just is.
And that’s what I really want, you know??? More than anything.
I want to PLAY out my career … not AGE out of it.
I want the story when I’m going for my last world title to be “the grizzled vet, chasing glory” … not “she’s old and she’s obsessed.”
I want to be able to say, as a woman, that I want more —
And what I want more of.
I want more time.”
Charlotte Flair Was Legitimately Affected By Tiffany Stratton’s Unscripted Divorce Insult
Earlier this year, ahead of her WrestleMania 41 match against Tiffany Stratton, Flair and Stratton engaged in a heated promo battle on SmackDown. However, after repeated shots at one another, Stratton went below the belt and launched an off-script comment about Flair’s three divorces. Writing in The Player’s Tribune, Charlotte Flair revealed how she was affected by it.
And I think in those times when people have seen me appear rattled by the booing, those are just the times when I’ve felt like — at least for a moment — the boos aren’t for Charlotte. They’re for Ashley. They’re for me. They’re because of the way I look. Or because of the energy I’m giving off as a woman. Or because of real trauma I’ve gone through in real life. So when it got mentioned in Chicago that I have an “0–3 record at marriages” … yeah, it rocked me legit.”
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