What is it like to be a woman in a man's world?

Any woman in a historically or traditionally male-dominated industry, sport or hobby has likely been asked this question.

I'm sure the person asking means well and is genuinely curious. I was asked this question on almost every interview or conversation when I first started wrestling. I can understand that it's not a usual expected thing for a woman to take up or pursue. After all, we're not exactly adhering to society's expectations by being aggressive, violent and kicking ass.

That was about 15 years ago now, though, that I first started answering these questions. How is it that, almost 15 years later, I am still receiving these questions? Why is it a "man's world" and who determines that? Just because majority of the people who are professional wrestlers are men, I don't believe this makes it a man's world.

It does, however, point out the very real fact that there aren't many women jumping into the wrestling world. It does not mean there are women who don't want to. From what I've experienced and observed, there are plenty of eager women but they hold themselves back. Likely for the same reason it took me a wee while to try out originally.

When I first started, there were even fewer women... approximately one other training at that moment in the entire country. My tryout consisted of 15 men and 1 woman, me. Feedback following the try outs was that I out performed the men... no surprise there, right? :P

Over the following year, more and more women started getting back to training who had been around the scene years before but took a step back. The women's class grew. Once Evie and I debuted and started what was the year of Evie v Brit - 2008, more women started coming to train and more started appearing on shows. For a while there, we had a great women's division across New Zealand.

What does this tell you?

It tells you the influence of having women present and involved. It shows you what happens when women are treated with respect and pushed well, encouraged and supported, putting heart into their performances. The women in the crowd see it. They feel it. Seeing other women succeed and doing so happily, with pride, is what encourages them to say, "maybe I really could do this, too?"

Some of you who have been following my journey might remember the Last Woman Standing match against Carmen Rose at IPW NZ. We main evented that night, following having another women's match earlier on the card. It was a great night for women in NZ as we wrestled for about 30 minutes, absolutely destroying each other throughout Mt Albert War Memorial Hall until only 1 of us was left standing as the IPW NZ Women's Champion.

Following that event, I had women around NZ come up to me to say that match inspired them to train. That match motivated them to work harder. Men came up to me and spoke with pride that night that they were hopeful for the future of women's wrestling in this country.

Here's the thing, that's what happens on the shows. Behind the scenes, had us women not fought and challenged management many years ago, we would not have had a women's championship to be fighting for that night. I, personally, held many meetings with the management presenting cases as to why we deserved a championship belt in this country that us women could be proud of.

The blood, sweat and tears that went into growing the NZ Women's Division to where it was is beyond what you will ever know. It is a large part in why I hold immense pride in the championship belt that is currently contested for in IPW NZ. It is why I find myself upset or offended personally when it is not treated with respect. I know that's my issue but that belt is a legacy that I, and the women of IPW, have worked hard for it to even exist for the future of this country to contest and hold with pride.

I hope the future of NZ Women's Wrestling understands that and continues to push the bar. I hope they understand how many women look up to them and see them as a reason why. Maybe not a reason to try wrestling but perhaps a reason to give something else a go that they were previously afraid to try. That they see these women stepping forward and challenging a "man's world" and begin to take on challenges of their own to push the bar in their own industry.

To answer the question, though; what is it like to be a woman in a man's world?: It's awesome. It's an opportunity to show men and women what we are all capable of if we work together. It's a reason to keep pushing the bar to bring the world together. It's an opportunity to take on challenges and test your own limits.

If I am blessed to have a daughter someday, I really want to be the mother she can look up to with pride and know that she can achieve anything. I want her to know she does not need to live, and be defined by, gender stereotypes or "play small" so that a man doesn't feel threatened or intimidated. I hope I inspire her to challenge her own limits and push beyond what I have been able to achieve in my lifetime, so far.

Given there are women training now that are half my age, I do already feel like a new generation is starting to lead out the future and it makes me excited to see what can be achieved in the years to come. I would love to see more women training regularly, involved in management and booking positions across the country. More women stepping forward and challenging, supporting other women to grow and be the best they can.

Through diversity and being inclusive, we can achieve great things! One day, maybe the question will change from, "what's it like being a woman in a man's world?" to "what's it like being a professional wrestler?"