1
00:01:02,779 --> 00:01:05,738
Before, when I first started,
I thought I was invincible
2
00:01:05,782 --> 00:01:08,350
and untouchable, and
I could never get hurt.
3
00:01:10,482 --> 00:01:14,007
And I knew this was probably
like one of the hardest things
4
00:01:14,051 --> 00:01:15,531
my family had to go through.
5
00:01:17,185 --> 00:01:19,448
But I'll be damned if
they have to bury me.
6
00:01:21,406 --> 00:01:23,278
Domestic violence
and pro wrestling
7
00:01:23,321 --> 00:01:26,019
are not one and the same.
8
00:01:26,063 --> 00:01:30,154
You know, my situation, I didn't
talk about it for 20 years.
9
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Nobody knew.
10
00:01:31,808 --> 00:01:33,201
I didn't tell anyone.
11
00:01:33,244 --> 00:01:35,246
My husband was the
only person that knew.
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00:02:50,495 --> 00:02:53,455
Women's wrestling is
experiencing a revolution,
13
00:02:53,498 --> 00:02:55,674
and independent promotions
everywhere are rising to the
14
00:02:55,718 --> 00:02:59,287
occasion by showcasing female
talent from around the world.
15
00:02:59,330 --> 00:03:01,202
We're gonna visit two
very different places
16
00:03:01,245 --> 00:03:03,639
to show how women are
quickly evolving their sport
17
00:03:03,682 --> 00:03:05,728
beyond stereotypes and misogyny.
18
00:03:05,771 --> 00:03:08,383
The rise of the Fighting
Cholitas in Bolivia marks
19
00:03:08,426 --> 00:03:11,560
a distinct and important point
in their cultural resurgence.
20
00:03:11,603 --> 00:03:14,867
And in America, Shimmer Women
Athletes has created a league
21
00:03:14,911 --> 00:03:17,218
that focuses on the best
technical wrestling
22
00:03:17,261 --> 00:03:18,915
from across the globe.
23
00:03:18,958 --> 00:03:21,613
For the last 13 years, they've
fought to place female athletes
24
00:03:21,657 --> 00:03:24,268
like Mia Yim at the forefront
of the independent scene.
25
00:03:24,312 --> 00:03:26,923
In both countries, many of the
women involved have overcome
26
00:03:26,966 --> 00:03:29,752
violence in their own lives to
fight to create an atmosphere
27
00:03:29,795 --> 00:03:31,928
that promotes
female empowerment.
28
00:03:31,971 --> 00:03:34,844
Every ring and stage, women
wrestlers are fighting hard,
29
00:03:34,887 --> 00:03:37,673
developing and perfecting their
craft and telling stories
30
00:03:37,716 --> 00:03:40,023
that transcend mere match.
31
00:03:40,066 --> 00:03:41,459
And the fans are noticing.
32
00:03:45,855 --> 00:03:47,335
So why don't we do
that for the shine,
33
00:03:47,378 --> 00:03:48,553
where like you give
me a head scissors,
34
00:03:48,597 --> 00:03:49,946
I'll sell into the corner.
35
00:03:49,989 --> 00:03:51,513
Charge after me, I'll
move, I'll charge after you.
36
00:03:51,556 --> 00:03:53,036
You could do the thing.
37
00:03:53,079 --> 00:03:54,429
If you wanna do a victory
earlier so we don't have to
38
00:03:54,472 --> 00:03:56,996
blow it up, we could do that
victory, maybe roll up,
39
00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,261
one, two, spear,
boom, one, two, aah.
40
00:04:00,304 --> 00:04:02,350
That probably wasn't
English at all to you,
41
00:04:02,393 --> 00:04:03,829
but that totally
made sense to us.
42
00:04:03,873 --> 00:04:05,048
You know what, I
don't need to know.
43
00:04:05,091 --> 00:04:06,789
All I need to know
is that you get it,
44
00:04:06,832 --> 00:04:08,312
and then it's gonna be
awesome when I get to see it.
45
00:04:09,705 --> 00:04:10,836
That's all I need to
know about that exchange.
46
00:04:15,624 --> 00:04:17,756
Mia Yim is one of the
most accomplished women
47
00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,541
on the indie circuit.
48
00:04:19,584 --> 00:04:21,934
She trained in Japan,
was on television with both
49
00:04:21,978 --> 00:04:24,633
Total Nonstop Action
Wrestling and Ring of Honor,
50
00:04:24,676 --> 00:04:26,939
and has worked for
many of the top indies,
51
00:04:26,983 --> 00:04:29,246
including CZW,
Shine, and Shimmer.
52
00:04:30,552 --> 00:04:33,946
Wrestling is a form of dance.
53
00:04:33,990 --> 00:04:39,387
So one person will do, say,
a move to another person,
54
00:04:39,430 --> 00:04:41,432
but they're both
taking care of each other.
55
00:04:44,609 --> 00:04:50,441
Although it is violent, in
wrestling everything is consent,
56
00:04:50,485 --> 00:04:52,138
and there's proper
training behind it.
57
00:04:52,182 --> 00:04:53,836
So if I'm in a
ring with somebody,
58
00:04:53,879 --> 00:04:56,491
I'll put them in the
headlock, but I'm not
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00:04:56,534 --> 00:04:58,144
purposefully hurting them.
60
00:05:09,155 --> 00:05:11,941
One, two, three!
61
00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:15,597
There's a lot of
people that think oh,
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00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,077
well she got muscle,
she wrestles guys,
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00:05:18,121 --> 00:05:19,818
she can handle her own.
64
00:05:19,862 --> 00:05:23,126
But just because I'm a wrestler,
65
00:05:23,169 --> 00:05:25,433
don't mean it's okay for
me to get beat up at home.
66
00:05:29,393 --> 00:05:31,961
At a time in her career when
everything was going right
67
00:05:32,004 --> 00:05:34,833
and Mia was solidifying her
place on the big stage,
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00:05:34,877 --> 00:05:37,183
it was a very
different story at home.
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00:05:37,227 --> 00:05:39,272
Mia began experiencing
domestic abuse at
70
00:05:39,316 --> 00:05:42,580
the hands of her boyfriend,
also a working wrestler.
71
00:05:42,624 --> 00:05:46,845
I was completely blinded by it,
and I didn't realize the flags,
72
00:05:46,889 --> 00:05:49,282
but looking back on it,
it was all there.
73
00:05:49,326 --> 00:05:52,373
The jealousy, the control.
74
00:05:52,416 --> 00:05:55,637
He was overprotective,
which I thought at that time
75
00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,508
was flattering because
oh, he cares so much.
76
00:05:57,552 --> 00:05:59,380
He's scared somebody's
gonna take me away.
77
00:05:59,423 --> 00:06:02,252
But then it became restricting.
78
00:06:03,601 --> 00:06:08,040
We had an argument,
and I mentioned my ex,
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00:06:08,084 --> 00:06:11,957
which he always had a problem
with as far as I couldn't be on
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00:06:12,001 --> 00:06:14,438
the same show as him,
we couldn't be friends.
81
00:06:14,482 --> 00:06:18,486
And then during the argument,
he put me in a headlock.
82
00:06:21,402 --> 00:06:23,795
Me and my ex, we
had matches together,
83
00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,711
so to me it was...
84
00:06:26,755 --> 00:06:30,454
okay, I've been in this move
my whole wrestling career.
85
00:06:30,498 --> 00:06:32,456
The only difference
is why is this hurting
86
00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:33,892
and why can't I breathe?
87
00:06:35,503 --> 00:06:39,245
And that's just because I've
never been in a proper headlock.
88
00:06:41,422 --> 00:06:44,860
And then the next day, it was
just like nothing ever happened.
89
00:06:46,601 --> 00:06:50,082
Then it would become
more and more regular,
90
00:06:50,126 --> 00:06:54,086
where every argument, he
would choke me just because,
91
00:06:54,130 --> 00:06:55,566
you know, I'm not...
92
00:06:55,610 --> 00:06:57,394
he doesn't want me walking
around with a black eye.
93
00:06:57,438 --> 00:07:02,268
There's no marks on me,
so he would choke me
94
00:07:02,312 --> 00:07:04,488
whether it's in
the headlock again
95
00:07:04,532 --> 00:07:07,622
or with his bare hands,
with a towel.
96
00:07:09,928 --> 00:07:12,888
It was a million
thoughts going on at once.
97
00:07:12,931 --> 00:07:15,107
It was confusion.
98
00:07:16,892 --> 00:07:19,198
The guy that tells me he loves
me every day and he wants to
99
00:07:19,242 --> 00:07:21,287
marry me, why is he
pitting me through this pain?
100
00:07:23,420 --> 00:07:26,945
Why does he keep hurting me
and telling me it's never gonna
101
00:07:26,989 --> 00:07:30,514
happen again, but then two
weeks later it happens again?
102
00:07:32,734 --> 00:07:34,300
What did I do?
103
00:07:34,344 --> 00:07:35,432
What am I doing wrong?
104
00:07:38,261 --> 00:07:41,090
It's a lot easier
said than done to just...
105
00:07:41,133 --> 00:07:43,962
"Why didn't you leave?"
or, "Why did you stay?"
106
00:07:44,006 --> 00:07:45,268
"Why didn't you fight back?"
107
00:07:45,311 --> 00:07:47,923
Like of course I fought
back, but he's a man.
108
00:07:47,966 --> 00:07:50,403
Like I can't-- I can't
knock him out with one punch.
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00:07:50,447 --> 00:07:54,538
Like he can easily
just overpower me.
110
00:08:00,239 --> 00:08:03,155
I decided to come
public with it when,
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00:08:03,199 --> 00:08:06,855
after talking to several of my
other female wrestling friends,
112
00:08:06,898 --> 00:08:10,554
I was... pretty much just
needed a shoulder to cry on,
113
00:08:10,598 --> 00:08:12,034
so I talked to them.
114
00:08:12,077 --> 00:08:15,559
And a lot of them said,
"This is what you need to do.
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00:08:15,603 --> 00:08:16,952
This is what happened with me,
116
00:08:16,995 --> 00:08:18,344
and this is how
I got out of it."
117
00:08:18,388 --> 00:08:21,304
And it was like...
wait a minute.
118
00:08:21,347 --> 00:08:24,220
So we have been sharing the
same locker room for X amount of
119
00:08:24,263 --> 00:08:28,180
years, you went through the
same challenges I went through
120
00:08:28,224 --> 00:08:29,921
as a female wrestler,
and you're telling me
121
00:08:29,965 --> 00:08:32,184
that you've been
through this as well?
122
00:08:32,228 --> 00:08:35,274
And it wasn't just
one other woman,
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00:08:35,318 --> 00:08:39,104
it was multiple wrestling
women that has told me.
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00:08:39,148 --> 00:08:42,238
And it was like
this has got to stop.
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00:08:42,281 --> 00:08:45,371
Like this is exactly why
domestic violence is happening,
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00:08:45,415 --> 00:08:46,547
because nobody's
talking about it.
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00:08:48,374 --> 00:08:50,202
I couldn't-- I
couldn't stay quiet.
128
00:09:08,786 --> 00:09:10,440
- That's Maria's belt?
- Si, si.
129
00:09:10,483 --> 00:09:12,181
I guess like any proud parent
130
00:09:12,224 --> 00:09:16,054
displaying their children's
trophies, a proud luchadore
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00:09:16,098 --> 00:09:18,753
with display their
Fighting Cholita's belt.
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00:09:47,738 --> 00:09:50,828
How did it make you feel
the first time you saw your...
133
00:09:50,872 --> 00:09:52,961
your babies, your
children in the ring?
134
00:10:23,731 --> 00:10:27,169
El Alto, Bolivia sits
13,000 feet above sea level,
135
00:10:27,212 --> 00:10:29,562
overlooking the
capital city of La Paz.
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00:10:29,606 --> 00:10:31,695
It's home to over
a million residents,
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00:10:31,739 --> 00:10:34,916
most of whom are of the
Indigenous Aymara or Quechua.
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00:10:34,959 --> 00:10:37,353
For decades, Bolivia has
had a style of wrestling
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00:10:37,396 --> 00:10:39,921
highly derivative of
Mexican Lucha Libre,
140
00:10:39,964 --> 00:10:42,314
but around 15 years ago
in a rapidly changing
141
00:10:42,358 --> 00:10:46,231
political climate, the Fighting
Cholitas came into being.
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00:10:46,275 --> 00:10:49,757
I'm meeting with my local guide
and Bolivian historian Valeria
143
00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,455
to show me around and to
find out who these women are,
144
00:10:52,498 --> 00:10:54,675
and how they came
to be wrestlers.
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00:10:55,458 --> 00:10:58,896
Most of the people in Bolivia,
it's a mix between Indigenous
146
00:10:58,940 --> 00:11:01,594
and all our roots from Spanish,
147
00:11:01,638 --> 00:11:06,948
but we have like 75% of our
population right now Indigenous.
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00:11:08,689 --> 00:11:12,083
But all of the Cholitas and
all of the Indigenous people
149
00:11:12,127 --> 00:11:16,305
were not identifying
themselves as Bolivians,
150
00:11:16,348 --> 00:11:23,051
because even just 15 years ago,
Cholitas would not be able to go
151
00:11:23,094 --> 00:11:25,618
on an airplane
dressed as Cholitas.
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00:11:25,662 --> 00:11:29,274
They would be asked
to dress differently
153
00:11:29,318 --> 00:11:32,147
in order to board a flight.
154
00:11:35,585 --> 00:11:37,630
Where is this
discrimination coming from?
155
00:13:24,085 --> 00:13:25,782
What goes inside.
156
00:13:25,826 --> 00:13:27,262
Oh, like an underskirt?
157
00:13:27,305 --> 00:13:28,480
Ohhh.
158
00:13:41,493 --> 00:13:44,801
At the time that she's wrestling
is what you'll see the most.
159
00:13:44,845 --> 00:13:46,411
That's true, you want
it to look beautiful.
160
00:13:56,291 --> 00:13:57,466
Ah!
161
00:14:00,469 --> 00:14:02,471
What were people's
like to seeing you?
162
00:14:02,514 --> 00:14:04,516
'Cause you're the
first women luchadores.
163
00:14:23,405 --> 00:14:27,061
It's amazing looking at the
rise of the Fighting Cholitas
164
00:14:27,104 --> 00:14:30,107
and Bolivia as a country,
and just how much it's changed
165
00:14:30,151 --> 00:14:31,761
during that period.
166
00:14:31,804 --> 00:14:34,590
Because when you started, it was
a really tense time politically.
167
00:14:34,633 --> 00:14:36,070
It was a civil war.
168
00:14:51,824 --> 00:14:54,566
The Bolivian
Gas War took place in 2003
169
00:14:54,610 --> 00:14:56,873
with the government's plan
to sell off the country's
170
00:14:56,917 --> 00:14:59,180
newly discovered gas reserves.
171
00:14:59,223 --> 00:15:01,704
Fuelled by a deep history
of colonial exploitation
172
00:15:01,747 --> 00:15:04,968
of natural resources such as
silver and gold, along with
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00:15:05,012 --> 00:15:07,623
a weakened economy and
impoverished living conditions,
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00:15:07,666 --> 00:15:10,321
Bolivians took to the streets
to strike in protest...
175
00:15:11,975 --> 00:15:13,716
...but were met with
a violent response.
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00:15:15,109 --> 00:15:17,372
60 people, mostly from
El Alto, were killed,
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00:15:17,415 --> 00:15:18,982
and many more were wounded.
178
00:17:22,062 --> 00:17:24,412
Domestic abuse is
prevalent in Bolivia,
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00:17:24,455 --> 00:17:27,893
with 53% of Bolivian women
having experienced physical
180
00:17:27,937 --> 00:17:30,418
or sexual violence at
the hands of a partner,
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00:17:30,461 --> 00:17:32,811
one of the highest rates of
any country in South America.
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00:17:50,177 --> 00:17:53,136
Helen, how did you first
find out about this space?
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00:21:15,033 --> 00:21:16,948
One, two. Good, find the two.
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00:21:16,992 --> 00:21:18,210
Two three two.
185
00:21:18,254 --> 00:21:20,300
Good, good work, shake it out.
186
00:21:20,343 --> 00:21:22,127
You know, when we talk
about domestic violence,
187
00:21:22,171 --> 00:21:24,478
there's always this idea
of the perfect victim.
188
00:21:24,521 --> 00:21:28,090
Somebody who is a model citizen,
someone who doesn't curse,
189
00:21:28,133 --> 00:21:30,527
someone who doesn't
initiate violence,
190
00:21:30,571 --> 00:21:32,094
someone who doesn't partake
in violence, right?
191
00:21:32,137 --> 00:21:33,878
Wrestling's a violent sport.
192
00:21:33,922 --> 00:21:36,403
When you think of
the perfect victims,
193
00:21:36,446 --> 00:21:39,449
those are the kind of
labels we put on people that
194
00:21:39,493 --> 00:21:41,233
if they can subscribe
to all of those things,
195
00:21:41,277 --> 00:21:42,844
right, if they can
just be perfect,
196
00:21:42,887 --> 00:21:44,802
then they're
deserving of support.
197
00:21:44,846 --> 00:21:47,327
And so you look at
someone like Mia,
198
00:21:47,370 --> 00:21:49,154
who's a professional wrestler,
199
00:21:49,198 --> 00:21:51,592
and the element of victim
blaming comes in, right?
200
00:21:53,115 --> 00:21:54,856
"She could've fought back,"
or, "Maybe if she didn't date
201
00:21:54,899 --> 00:21:58,642
a wrestler, she wouldn't find
herself in this situation."
202
00:22:00,818 --> 00:22:02,211
So what about
connecting with her though?
203
00:22:02,254 --> 00:22:04,126
You kind of, I guess
at some point though,
204
00:22:04,169 --> 00:22:05,388
crossed that line, right?
205
00:22:05,432 --> 00:22:07,782
- From fan to friend.
- To friend.
206
00:22:07,825 --> 00:22:10,175
I mean, I think the world
of Mia, she's great.
207
00:22:10,219 --> 00:22:12,482
You know, I think that's
the power of social media.
208
00:22:13,918 --> 00:22:17,269
I'm someone who has had friends
and family who've been impacted
209
00:22:17,313 --> 00:22:19,097
by domestic violence.
210
00:22:19,141 --> 00:22:22,057
But then I saw that she was
retweeting a bunch of different
211
00:22:22,100 --> 00:22:24,015
domestic violence campaigns.
212
00:22:25,756 --> 00:22:29,934
The Put The Nail In It campaign
is a campaign that aims to end
213
00:22:29,978 --> 00:22:32,241
the silence around
domestic violence.
214
00:22:32,284 --> 00:22:34,852
You know, the idea was that
if you painted your left ring
215
00:22:34,896 --> 00:22:37,986
fingernail purple, hopefully
somebody would spot it
216
00:22:38,029 --> 00:22:39,988
and ask you a question like,
"What's that about?"
217
00:22:41,468 --> 00:22:44,079
And so being a
wrestling fan, I saw Mia,
218
00:22:44,122 --> 00:22:47,256
and I saw that she
had the painted nail.
219
00:22:47,299 --> 00:22:51,303
And so I said hmm, you know,
let me just reach out to Mia
220
00:22:51,347 --> 00:22:54,132
and see if she'd feel
comfortable speaking.
221
00:22:55,482 --> 00:22:57,179
He would cry, he
would apologize,
222
00:22:57,222 --> 00:22:59,355
he was a changed man,
he learned his lesson.
223
00:22:59,399 --> 00:23:03,185
A week later, we'd
get into an argument,
224
00:23:03,228 --> 00:23:06,667
he just scoops me up,
tossed me in the closet.
225
00:23:06,710 --> 00:23:08,320
And that was my first
time I fought back,
226
00:23:08,364 --> 00:23:11,411
'cause I broke down the door,
and then I came out swinging
227
00:23:11,454 --> 00:23:13,804
'cause he just stood there
like he couldn't believe
228
00:23:13,848 --> 00:23:15,415
I got through the door.
229
00:23:15,458 --> 00:23:17,199
So...
230
00:23:18,722 --> 00:23:20,028
It's okay.
231
00:23:21,682 --> 00:23:25,337
I thought about my
family, and how...
232
00:23:25,381 --> 00:23:29,777
I will be damned if my
parents have to bury me.
233
00:23:30,908 --> 00:23:34,521
So I broke down the closet,
first time I fought back.
234
00:23:34,564 --> 00:23:36,044
Um...
235
00:23:38,568 --> 00:23:43,965
And of course, he just easily
just... scooped me up,
236
00:23:44,008 --> 00:23:46,533
put me down, he mounted me
and started choking me.
237
00:23:49,405 --> 00:23:53,801
I want to be an advocate,
I want to help others
238
00:23:53,844 --> 00:23:55,324
that's been in my situation.
239
00:23:55,367 --> 00:23:56,456
I just don't know how.
240
00:23:58,066 --> 00:24:00,372
And so for Mia, I wanted to let
her know that I was interested
241
00:24:00,416 --> 00:24:02,636
in exploring the story with
her, and getting it out there,
242
00:24:02,679 --> 00:24:05,290
and that she also had final
approval on the piece that
243
00:24:05,334 --> 00:24:07,205
we did submit for
The Huffington Post.
244
00:24:08,729 --> 00:24:10,339
And I was a little scared.
245
00:24:10,382 --> 00:24:15,692
Would she be met with that same
hyper-masculinity victim blaming
246
00:24:15,736 --> 00:24:18,695
that's so common when
women come forward?
247
00:24:18,739 --> 00:24:20,828
But I was surprised.
248
00:24:27,356 --> 00:24:28,575
Annabelle is the youngest of
249
00:24:28,618 --> 00:24:30,577
the Fighting
Cholitas in El Alto.
250
00:24:30,620 --> 00:24:32,709
Still in high school,
she represents
251
00:24:32,753 --> 00:24:34,406
a new generation of wrestlers.
252
00:25:20,409 --> 00:25:21,671
Oh!
253
00:26:30,305 --> 00:26:34,657
It seems to me the part
that's missing is educating men,
254
00:26:34,701 --> 00:26:37,051
'cause the men are the
perpetrators of this violence.
255
00:26:37,094 --> 00:26:39,096
What kind of changes
are happening there?
256
00:26:39,140 --> 00:26:42,622
Is there any efforts being
made to kinda adjust society?
257
00:27:30,626 --> 00:27:33,020
I'm to understand that you've
gone out and actually formed
258
00:27:33,063 --> 00:27:35,326
your own federation, a women's
federation now, right?
259
00:28:50,837 --> 00:28:53,230
The Fighting Cholita's
league is still in its infancy,
260
00:28:53,274 --> 00:28:55,276
and has to rely on male
promoters for access
261
00:28:55,319 --> 00:28:57,278
to both a ring and a venue.
262
00:28:57,321 --> 00:28:59,106
If they're able to
become fully independent,
263
00:28:59,149 --> 00:29:00,890
it will mark an
important point in history
264
00:29:00,934 --> 00:29:02,936
for women's wrestling.
265
00:29:02,979 --> 00:29:05,460
Outside of Japan and a few
short-lived promotions in
266
00:29:05,503 --> 00:29:08,811
the UK, the Cholitas would be
the first promotion to be fully
267
00:29:08,855 --> 00:29:12,075
owned and controlled by the
female wrestlers themselves.
268
00:29:26,655 --> 00:29:28,178
Pen!
269
00:29:28,222 --> 00:29:29,919
Thanks for that, Howard.
270
00:29:39,755 --> 00:29:45,805
Shimmer is the WrestleMania of
women's independent wrestling.
271
00:29:46,936 --> 00:29:51,201
It is women from all over
the world that are known for
272
00:29:51,245 --> 00:29:54,552
their work, rather than
just being sexy or whatnot.
273
00:29:55,727 --> 00:30:00,558
This is pro wrestling
with female athletes.
274
00:30:00,602 --> 00:30:02,822
We're giving them
more of an opportunity.
275
00:30:02,865 --> 00:30:05,737
We're allowing them to
showcase their athleticism.
276
00:30:05,781 --> 00:30:09,350
We're not here for a
bunch of goofy stories.
277
00:30:09,393 --> 00:30:12,048
We're not here for
showing you the goods.
278
00:30:12,092 --> 00:30:13,528
We're not gonna
give that to you.
279
00:30:14,964 --> 00:30:17,227
We're not the side dish,
we're the main dish.
280
00:30:17,271 --> 00:30:21,014
We are the meat and
potatoes of women's wrestling.
281
00:30:23,581 --> 00:30:25,845
You're gonna see brawling,
you're gonna see technical
282
00:30:25,888 --> 00:30:28,195
wrestling, you're gonna see
high flying, and you're gonna
283
00:30:28,238 --> 00:30:32,025
see women in a capacity
you might not normally see.
284
00:30:41,121 --> 00:30:46,909
Mia! Mia! Mia!
Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia!
285
00:30:54,221 --> 00:30:57,615
Shimmer is the only
league of its kind in America.
286
00:30:57,659 --> 00:31:00,270
While there are other
women-centric promotions,
287
00:31:00,314 --> 00:31:01,924
they don't have the same mandate
288
00:31:01,968 --> 00:31:04,318
to specifically highlight
female athleticism.
289
00:31:06,581 --> 00:31:08,409
Within the American wrestling
system, there's been
290
00:31:08,452 --> 00:31:11,716
a lot of talk recently
about a women's revolution.
291
00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:14,458
The buzz has grown so popular
that even the large corporate
292
00:31:14,502 --> 00:31:16,896
wrestling companies have
had to take notice and change
293
00:31:16,939 --> 00:31:18,985
the presentation of
women's wrestling.
294
00:31:21,596 --> 00:31:25,208
A great deal of responsibility
for this changing tide is owed
295
00:31:25,252 --> 00:31:28,864
to the organizers of Shimmer,
and the women they feature.
296
00:31:28,908 --> 00:31:31,823
Without them, the world of
pro wrestling would still be
297
00:31:31,867 --> 00:31:33,521
living in the past.
298
00:31:38,221 --> 00:31:40,658
I think out of all the wrestling
shows I've been to lately -
299
00:31:40,702 --> 00:31:42,965
and I've been to a lot lately -
this is one of the most
300
00:31:43,009 --> 00:31:46,577
respectful audiences,
certainly in America or Canada,
301
00:31:46,621 --> 00:31:48,188
that I've ever seen.
302
00:31:48,231 --> 00:31:50,581
Is that something that was like
that from the very beginning,
303
00:31:50,625 --> 00:31:52,540
or is that something
you've had to cultivate here?
304
00:31:52,583 --> 00:31:56,022
Back when we first
started this in 2005,
305
00:31:56,065 --> 00:31:59,155
women were facing the problem,
particularly on the indies.
306
00:31:59,199 --> 00:32:02,680
When we would hit the ring
at any kind of "regular" show
307
00:32:02,724 --> 00:32:04,813
I would say, like
a mostly male show,
308
00:32:04,856 --> 00:32:08,164
fans would openly get
up and go to the bar,
309
00:32:08,208 --> 00:32:10,166
get something to
drink, get a snack.
310
00:32:10,210 --> 00:32:13,213
I've done shows where the
fans pick their chairs up,
311
00:32:13,256 --> 00:32:16,129
turned them around, and sat
like this with their backs to us
312
00:32:16,172 --> 00:32:19,697
to make us know that we
weren't welcome, that we were
313
00:32:19,741 --> 00:32:23,527
taking away from male matches
that they wanted to watch.
314
00:32:26,052 --> 00:32:27,792
Where do you think
that animosity
315
00:32:27,836 --> 00:32:30,012
towards women's
wrestling comes from?
316
00:32:30,056 --> 00:32:31,840
It's just straight up misogyny.
317
00:32:31,883 --> 00:32:35,409
And it goes back to the
old school mentality of
318
00:32:35,452 --> 00:32:37,150
men are the leaders.
319
00:32:37,193 --> 00:32:38,847
Men do the heavy lifting.
320
00:32:38,890 --> 00:32:41,023
Women just stay in the
background and do this.
321
00:32:41,067 --> 00:32:43,504
And I think deep down,
it's engrained in
322
00:32:43,547 --> 00:32:47,116
a lot of fans' heads that
this isn't what women do.
323
00:32:47,160 --> 00:32:49,771
And a lot of fans
just didn't like it.
324
00:32:49,814 --> 00:32:52,034
They felt we were encroaching on
325
00:32:52,078 --> 00:32:54,819
the territory of
something they loved.
326
00:32:54,863 --> 00:32:57,779
We've had women's
wrestling over the years,
327
00:32:57,822 --> 00:33:00,825
and then we had GLOW
which openly acknowledged
328
00:33:00,869 --> 00:33:04,177
most of those people were
actresses playing a part.
329
00:33:04,220 --> 00:33:08,050
So they're used to seeing these
amazing athletics from the men,
330
00:33:08,094 --> 00:33:10,400
and then the women
are trying to catch up
331
00:33:10,444 --> 00:33:11,836
and given that opportunity.
332
00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:14,317
And the women who could
wrestle were held back
333
00:33:14,361 --> 00:33:15,536
for not being pretty enough.
334
00:33:18,713 --> 00:33:21,716
Back then, women's
wrestling in my experience,
335
00:33:21,759 --> 00:33:24,588
from what I've been through,
it was just sexualized.
336
00:33:24,632 --> 00:33:27,417
Bra and panty matches, mud
matches, specialty matches,
337
00:33:27,461 --> 00:33:31,073
and I'm sure it was a lot
worse before I started.
338
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:37,906
So when we started Shimmer
and Prazak pitched the idea,
339
00:33:37,949 --> 00:33:42,867
we really wanted to find that
niche and find the people who
340
00:33:42,911 --> 00:33:46,088
believed in women's wrestling,
and believed in the athletes
341
00:33:46,132 --> 00:33:48,177
that we have and
that we present.
342
00:33:48,221 --> 00:33:51,267
And we started getting
away from the cat fights,
343
00:33:51,311 --> 00:33:53,226
and the evening gown matches.
344
00:33:53,269 --> 00:33:55,358
And no matter who
told us it was wrong,
345
00:33:55,402 --> 00:33:57,621
we knew here and
here it was right,
346
00:33:57,665 --> 00:33:59,188
and so we just kept going.
347
00:33:59,232 --> 00:34:00,711
We're like alright,
they don't like it,
348
00:34:00,755 --> 00:34:02,539
let's move to the next person.
349
00:34:02,583 --> 00:34:04,106
Mia! Mia!
350
00:34:04,150 --> 00:34:06,630
We weren't gonna be able to
change everybody's minds,
351
00:34:06,674 --> 00:34:09,416
but if we worked really hard,
we would be able to educate
352
00:34:09,459 --> 00:34:12,375
some people on what we do,
and change minds that way.
353
00:34:18,555 --> 00:34:21,428
Everywhere you go that
I've been so far around,
354
00:34:21,471 --> 00:34:24,083
you see signs of Evo Morales.
355
00:34:24,126 --> 00:34:25,997
Can you explain a little
bit about his presidency
356
00:34:26,041 --> 00:34:27,477
and how he became elected?
357
00:34:27,521 --> 00:34:29,218
He was a natural leader.
358
00:34:29,262 --> 00:34:32,656
He was president of all of
the unions in our central area
359
00:34:32,700 --> 00:34:36,095
that we call Chapare, where
they produce the coca leaves.
360
00:34:36,138 --> 00:34:40,882
And then he started
getting involved in politics,
361
00:34:40,925 --> 00:34:44,320
and he decided to
found his own party
362
00:34:44,364 --> 00:34:47,758
that is a movement
towards socialism.
363
00:34:49,064 --> 00:34:51,501
So not only was Evo a
very progressive force
364
00:34:51,545 --> 00:34:53,024
when it comes to labour
and things like that,
365
00:34:53,068 --> 00:34:55,157
but he was also the first
Indigenous president, right?
366
00:34:55,201 --> 00:34:56,593
Yes, actually.
367
00:34:56,637 --> 00:34:59,683
How did that affect the
psychology of people here?
368
00:34:59,727 --> 00:35:03,034
It created a new identity,
369
00:35:03,078 --> 00:35:08,736
because we have like 75% of our
population right now Indigenous.
370
00:35:08,779 --> 00:35:14,698
So during the '70s, people who
have Indigenous last names
371
00:35:14,742 --> 00:35:17,484
would not be able
to go to university,
372
00:35:17,527 --> 00:35:21,575
but now they are free
to do whatever they want.
373
00:35:21,618 --> 00:35:25,709
What Evo Morales has done
is that he has created
374
00:35:25,753 --> 00:35:28,538
a new identity of a country.
375
00:35:28,582 --> 00:35:33,282
And part of that identity is the
Cholitas as an icon of the city
376
00:35:33,326 --> 00:35:35,545
and of our country.
377
00:35:51,605 --> 00:35:54,825
Watching you two work
together, it's amazing,
378
00:35:54,869 --> 00:35:58,002
the trust that you must have and
the faith you put in each other.
379
00:35:58,046 --> 00:36:01,049
Is that something that
transcends the ring?
380
00:36:01,092 --> 00:36:02,529
- Absolutely!
- Yeah.
381
00:36:02,572 --> 00:36:03,791
Half of the stuff we do,
382
00:36:03,834 --> 00:36:05,445
whether we're fighting
against each other
383
00:36:05,488 --> 00:36:10,363
or teaming up together,
it's all just us being us.
384
00:36:10,406 --> 00:36:12,974
So we don't call any of it,
we don't plan any of it.
385
00:36:13,017 --> 00:36:15,368
A majority of it
is legit just us.
386
00:36:15,411 --> 00:36:16,847
It's just us being like...
387
00:36:16,891 --> 00:36:18,806
When we got close...
388
00:36:18,849 --> 00:36:20,677
I moved to Florida for my ex.
389
00:36:20,721 --> 00:36:23,550
So then we had our own clique,
and that's how we got to bond
390
00:36:23,593 --> 00:36:25,160
and get to know each other.
391
00:36:25,204 --> 00:36:28,729
So not only is she
my wrestling friend,
392
00:36:28,772 --> 00:36:30,165
she's my real friend.
393
00:36:31,688 --> 00:36:35,344
So when I finally left,
she was there when
394
00:36:35,388 --> 00:36:38,521
all of our mutual friends
thought I was exaggerating
395
00:36:38,565 --> 00:36:40,131
or lying or just making it up.
396
00:36:40,175 --> 00:36:43,309
She was there to tell me you do
what you gotta do to be safe,
397
00:36:43,352 --> 00:36:44,875
and I'll be there for you.
398
00:36:48,357 --> 00:36:51,055
When Mia first was able to
come forward about the abuse
399
00:36:51,099 --> 00:36:54,668
she experienced, there was
people around her that went to
400
00:36:54,711 --> 00:36:58,106
the abuser and just protected
him, and tried to protect him.
401
00:36:58,149 --> 00:37:02,328
Sometimes I think people protect
the abuser because they can't
402
00:37:02,371 --> 00:37:06,027
fathom that the abuser
would've actually done that.
403
00:37:06,070 --> 00:37:08,203
"Oh, you're just
being hysterical."
404
00:37:08,247 --> 00:37:11,206
"Oh, calm down, that
couldn't have really happened."
405
00:37:11,250 --> 00:37:15,471
And they almost
gaslight you in a way of
406
00:37:15,515 --> 00:37:17,430
they make you second guess.
407
00:37:17,473 --> 00:37:19,432
Was it really that bad?
408
00:37:19,475 --> 00:37:21,912
And so that's
extremely frustrating.
409
00:37:23,523 --> 00:37:26,874
I couldn't stay quiet and
let it keep happening because
410
00:37:26,917 --> 00:37:29,355
the abusers think that oh,
well they-- if they talk,
411
00:37:29,398 --> 00:37:31,313
then we're gonna
beat them up some more.
412
00:37:32,706 --> 00:37:37,058
It wasn't until when I came out
with my story that I realized
413
00:37:37,101 --> 00:37:39,190
how many people were supportive.
414
00:37:40,627 --> 00:37:44,674
It was just crazy that not only
is it just like my friends
415
00:37:44,718 --> 00:37:47,764
at Shimmer, or my
friends at Impact,
416
00:37:47,808 --> 00:37:50,550
it was everybody, like people
I've never even met before.
417
00:37:52,378 --> 00:37:55,642
And it was... it was refreshing
to know I'm not crazy.
418
00:37:57,383 --> 00:37:59,950
Some people wanna...
wanna criticize it,
419
00:37:59,994 --> 00:38:03,432
that it was a glory grab,
it was an attention grab.
420
00:38:03,476 --> 00:38:06,870
I think it was
something so unselfish,
421
00:38:06,914 --> 00:38:11,875
because she put
strangers ahead of herself,
422
00:38:11,919 --> 00:38:14,225
because she doesn't want
anyone else to ever be
423
00:38:14,269 --> 00:38:15,966
in that situation.
424
00:38:16,010 --> 00:38:21,798
And she made us in
the locker room feel safe
425
00:38:21,842 --> 00:38:24,323
to start talking
about our own situations.
426
00:38:25,933 --> 00:38:29,284
My situation, I didn't
talk about it for 20 years.
427
00:38:29,328 --> 00:38:31,460
I didn't tell anyone.
428
00:38:31,504 --> 00:38:34,202
My husband was the
only person that knew.
429
00:38:34,245 --> 00:38:37,597
Now I feel better
talking about it because
430
00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:41,078
she put herself out
there for everybody.
431
00:38:41,122 --> 00:38:44,343
Like a lot of people don't
realize what she put on the line
432
00:38:44,386 --> 00:38:45,605
to do that.
433
00:38:45,648 --> 00:38:47,955
That essentially
could've ruined her career,
434
00:38:47,998 --> 00:38:50,218
and she did it.
435
00:38:50,261 --> 00:38:51,654
She did it anyway.
436
00:38:57,530 --> 00:39:00,402
That glass ceiling,
we're shattering it.
437
00:39:00,446 --> 00:39:03,405
You know, granted, still to
this day we're not getting paid
438
00:39:03,449 --> 00:39:06,669
as much as men, and we
still have some obstacles,
439
00:39:06,713 --> 00:39:08,628
but we'll take the
little victories.
440
00:39:11,674 --> 00:39:16,810
I think with the
platform that I am given,
441
00:39:16,853 --> 00:39:19,987
I don't want to be
selfish and just focus on me.
442
00:39:20,030 --> 00:39:22,250
It's not about me,
it's about the issues
443
00:39:22,293 --> 00:39:24,208
that's going on right now.
444
00:39:24,252 --> 00:39:27,473
When I'm done wrestling,
I want people to say,
445
00:39:27,516 --> 00:39:30,650
"She's the one that opened
up about domestic violence.
446
00:39:30,693 --> 00:39:34,567
Now look at what's
happened with that story."
447
00:41:12,447 --> 00:41:15,319
That's really kind of the other
thing that I found interesting
448
00:41:15,363 --> 00:41:18,453
when talking to people, is how
much what you do in the ring has
449
00:41:18,497 --> 00:41:20,629
affected the world
outside of the ring,
450
00:41:20,673 --> 00:41:23,545
and how much of an important
role you've played in sort of
451
00:41:23,589 --> 00:41:26,505
this... I don't know, this
amazing period of growth
452
00:41:26,548 --> 00:41:28,028
that's happened in this country.
453
00:41:55,011 --> 00:41:57,579
That's why I think the Fighting
Cholitas are so important and
454
00:41:57,623 --> 00:42:02,018
so awesome for all of wrestling,
is because it's not just amazing
455
00:42:02,062 --> 00:42:05,195
wrestling, there's also like
fighting against discrimination,
456
00:42:05,239 --> 00:42:07,284
fighting against oppression,
457
00:42:07,328 --> 00:42:09,635
and fighting against
unfair labour practices.
458
00:42:09,678 --> 00:42:11,854
And that's... you know,
and it's just so much more
459
00:42:11,898 --> 00:42:13,203
than just fighting in the ring.
460
00:42:13,247 --> 00:42:14,422
It's fighting outside
of the ring that you do
461
00:42:14,465 --> 00:42:16,163
that's so inspiring.