Below, some notes about gender in wrestling, from “Wrestling with Masculinity: Messages about Manhood in the WWE” by Danielle M. Soulliere
Six important messages about manhood were revealed by the WWE programs:
(1) Real men are aggressive and violent,
(2) men settle things physically,
(3) a man confronts his adversaries and problems,
(4) real men take responsibility for their actions,
(5) men are not whiners,
and (6) men are winners.
These messages support the dominant culturally ideal hegemonic form of masculinity by empha- sizing aggression and violence, emotional restraint, and success and achievement as desirable masculine traits. Moreover, proof and assertion of manhood were effectively accomplished by demonstrating characteristics of the dominant hegemonic masculinity (aggression, physical competition, success) and by questioning the manhood of other men.