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00:01:02,758 --> 00:01:05,718
Before, when I first started,
I thought I was invincible
2
00:01:05,761 --> 00:01:08,331
and untouchable, and
I could never get hurt.
3
00:01:10,461 --> 00:01:13,991
And I knew this was probably
like one of the hardest things
4
00:01:14,030 --> 00:01:15,510
my family had to go through.
5
00:01:17,164 --> 00:01:19,434
But I'll be damned if
they have to bury me.
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00:01:21,385 --> 00:01:23,255
Domestic violence
and pro wrestling
7
00:01:23,300 --> 00:01:26,000
are not one and the same.
8
00:01:26,042 --> 00:01:30,132
You know, my situation, I didn't
talk about it for 20 years.
9
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Nobody knew.
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00:01:31,787 --> 00:01:33,177
I didn't tell anyone.
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My husband was the
only person that knew.
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00:02:50,474 --> 00:02:53,434
Women's wrestling is
experiencing a revolution,
13
00:02:53,477 --> 00:02:55,647
and independent promotions
everywhere are rising to the
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00:02:55,697 --> 00:02:59,267
occasion by showcasing female
talent from around the world.
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00:02:59,309 --> 00:03:01,179
We're gonna visit two
very different places
16
00:03:01,224 --> 00:03:03,624
to show how women are
quickly evolving their sport
17
00:03:03,661 --> 00:03:05,711
beyond stereotypes and misogyny.
18
00:03:05,750 --> 00:03:08,360
The rise of the Fighting
Cholitas in Bolivia marks
19
00:03:08,405 --> 00:03:11,535
a distinct and important point
in their cultural resurgence.
20
00:03:11,582 --> 00:03:14,852
And in America, Shimmer Women
Athletes has created a league
21
00:03:14,890 --> 00:03:17,200
that focuses on the best
technical wrestling
22
00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:18,890
from across the globe.
23
00:03:18,937 --> 00:03:21,587
For the last 13 years, they've
fought to place female athletes
24
00:03:21,636 --> 00:03:24,246
like Mia Yim at the forefront
of the independent scene.
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00:03:24,291 --> 00:03:26,901
In both countries, many of the
women involved have overcome
26
00:03:26,945 --> 00:03:29,725
violence in their own lives to
fight to create an atmosphere
27
00:03:29,774 --> 00:03:31,914
that promotes
female empowerment.
28
00:03:31,950 --> 00:03:34,820
Every ring and stage, women
wrestlers are fighting hard,
29
00:03:34,866 --> 00:03:37,646
developing and perfecting their
craft and telling stories
30
00:03:37,695 --> 00:03:39,995
that transcend mere match.
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00:03:40,045 --> 00:03:41,435
And the fans are noticing.
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00:03:45,834 --> 00:03:47,314
So why don't we do
that for the shine,
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00:03:47,357 --> 00:03:48,527
where like you give
me a head scissors,
34
00:03:48,576 --> 00:03:49,926
I'll sell into the corner.
35
00:03:49,968 --> 00:03:51,488
Charge after me, I'll
move, I'll charge after you.
36
00:03:51,535 --> 00:03:53,015
You could do the thing.
37
00:03:53,058 --> 00:03:54,408
If you wanna do a victory
earlier so we don't have to
38
00:03:54,451 --> 00:03:56,981
blow it up, we could do that
victory, maybe roll up,
39
00:03:57,019 --> 00:04:00,239
one, two, spear,
boom, one, two, aah.
40
00:04:00,283 --> 00:04:02,333
That probably wasn't
English at all to you,
41
00:04:02,372 --> 00:04:03,812
but that totally
made sense to us.
42
00:04:03,852 --> 00:04:05,032
You know what, I
don't need to know.
43
00:04:05,070 --> 00:04:06,770
All I need to know
is that you get it,
44
00:04:06,811 --> 00:04:08,291
and then it's gonna be
awesome when I get to see it.
45
00:04:09,684 --> 00:04:10,824
That's all I need to
know about that exchange.
46
00:04:15,603 --> 00:04:17,743
Mia Yim is one of the
most accomplished women
47
00:04:17,779 --> 00:04:19,519
on the indie circuit.
48
00:04:19,563 --> 00:04:21,913
She trained in Japan,
was on television with both
49
00:04:21,957 --> 00:04:24,607
Total Nonstop Action
Wrestling and Ring of Honor,
50
00:04:24,655 --> 00:04:26,915
and has worked for
many of the top indies,
51
00:04:26,962 --> 00:04:29,232
including CZW,
Shine, and Shimmer.
52
00:04:30,531 --> 00:04:33,931
Wrestling is a form of dance.
53
00:04:33,969 --> 00:04:39,369
So one person will do, say,
a move to another person,
54
00:04:39,409 --> 00:04:41,409
but they're both
taking care of each other.
55
00:04:44,588 --> 00:04:50,418
Although it is violent, in
wrestling everything is consent,
56
00:04:50,464 --> 00:04:52,124
and there's proper
training behind it.
57
00:04:52,161 --> 00:04:53,821
So if I'm in a
ring with somebody,
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00:04:53,858 --> 00:04:56,468
I'll put them in the
headlock, but I'm not
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00:04:56,513 --> 00:04:58,123
purposefully hurting them.
60
00:05:09,134 --> 00:05:11,924
One, two, three!
61
00:05:14,139 --> 00:05:15,579
There's a lot of
people that think oh,
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00:05:15,619 --> 00:05:18,059
well she got muscle,
she wrestles guys,
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00:05:18,100 --> 00:05:19,800
she can handle her own.
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00:05:19,841 --> 00:05:23,111
But just because I'm a wrestler,
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00:05:23,148 --> 00:05:25,408
don't mean it's okay for
me to get beat up at home.
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00:05:29,372 --> 00:05:31,942
At a time in her career when
everything was going right
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00:05:31,983 --> 00:05:34,813
and Mia was solidifying her
place on the big stage,
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00:05:34,856 --> 00:05:37,156
it was a very
different story at home.
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00:05:37,206 --> 00:05:39,246
Mia began experiencing
domestic abuse at
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00:05:39,295 --> 00:05:42,555
the hands of her boyfriend,
also a working wrestler.
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00:05:42,603 --> 00:05:46,823
I was completely blinded by it,
and I didn't realize the flags,
72
00:05:46,868 --> 00:05:49,258
but looking back on it,
it was all there.
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00:05:49,305 --> 00:05:52,345
The jealousy, the control.
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00:05:52,395 --> 00:05:55,615
He was overprotective,
which I thought at that time
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00:05:55,659 --> 00:05:57,489
was flattering because
oh, he cares so much.
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00:05:57,531 --> 00:05:59,361
He's scared somebody's
gonna take me away.
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00:05:59,402 --> 00:06:02,232
But then it became restricting.
78
00:06:03,580 --> 00:06:08,020
We had an argument,
and I mentioned my ex,
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00:06:08,063 --> 00:06:11,943
which he always had a problem
with as far as I couldn't be on
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00:06:11,980 --> 00:06:14,420
the same show as him,
we couldn't be friends.
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00:06:14,461 --> 00:06:18,471
And then during the argument,
he put me in a headlock.
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00:06:21,381 --> 00:06:23,771
Me and my ex, we
had matches together,
83
00:06:23,818 --> 00:06:26,688
so to me it was...
84
00:06:26,734 --> 00:06:30,434
okay, I've been in this move
my whole wrestling career.
85
00:06:30,477 --> 00:06:32,437
The only difference
is why is this hurting
86
00:06:32,479 --> 00:06:33,869
and why can't I breathe?
87
00:06:35,482 --> 00:06:39,222
And that's just because I've
never been in a proper headlock.
88
00:06:41,401 --> 00:06:44,841
And then the next day, it was
just like nothing ever happened.
89
00:06:46,580 --> 00:06:50,060
Then it would become
more and more regular,
90
00:06:50,105 --> 00:06:54,065
where every argument, he
would choke me just because,
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00:06:54,109 --> 00:06:55,549
you know, I'm not...
92
00:06:55,589 --> 00:06:57,369
he doesn't want me walking
around with a black eye.
93
00:06:57,417 --> 00:07:02,247
There's no marks on me,
so he would choke me
94
00:07:02,291 --> 00:07:04,471
whether it's in
the headlock again
95
00:07:04,511 --> 00:07:07,601
or with his bare hands,
with a towel.
96
00:07:09,907 --> 00:07:12,867
It was a million
thoughts going on at once.
97
00:07:12,910 --> 00:07:15,090
It was confusion.
98
00:07:16,871 --> 00:07:19,181
The guy that tells me he loves
me every day and he wants to
99
00:07:19,221 --> 00:07:21,271
marry me, why is he
pitting me through this pain?
100
00:07:23,399 --> 00:07:26,919
Why does he keep hurting me
and telling me it's never gonna
101
00:07:26,968 --> 00:07:30,488
happen again, but then two
weeks later it happens again?
102
00:07:32,713 --> 00:07:34,283
What did I do?
103
00:07:34,323 --> 00:07:35,413
What am I doing wrong?
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00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,070
It's a lot easier
said than done to just...
105
00:07:41,112 --> 00:07:43,942
"Why didn't you leave?"
or, "Why did you stay?"
106
00:07:43,985 --> 00:07:45,245
"Why didn't you fight back?"
107
00:07:45,290 --> 00:07:47,900
Like of course I fought
back, but he's a man.
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00:07:47,945 --> 00:07:50,375
Like I can't-- I can't
knock him out with one punch.
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00:07:50,426 --> 00:07:54,516
Like he can easily
just overpower me.
110
00:08:00,218 --> 00:08:03,128
I decided to come
public with it when,
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00:08:03,178 --> 00:08:06,828
after talking to several of my
other female wrestling friends,
112
00:08:06,877 --> 00:08:10,527
I was... pretty much just
needed a shoulder to cry on,
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00:08:10,577 --> 00:08:12,007
so I talked to them.
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00:08:12,056 --> 00:08:15,536
And a lot of them said,
"This is what you need to do.
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00:08:15,582 --> 00:08:16,932
This is what happened with me,
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00:08:16,974 --> 00:08:18,324
and this is how
I got out of it."
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00:08:18,367 --> 00:08:21,277
And it was like...
wait a minute.
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00:08:21,326 --> 00:08:24,196
So we have been sharing the
same locker room for X amount of
119
00:08:24,242 --> 00:08:28,162
years, you went through the
same challenges I went through
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00:08:28,203 --> 00:08:29,903
as a female wrestler,
and you're telling me
121
00:08:29,944 --> 00:08:32,164
that you've been
through this as well?
122
00:08:32,207 --> 00:08:35,247
And it wasn't just
one other woman,
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00:08:35,297 --> 00:08:39,077
it was multiple wrestling
women that has told me.
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00:08:39,127 --> 00:08:42,217
And it was like
this has got to stop.
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00:08:42,260 --> 00:08:45,350
Like this is exactly why
domestic violence is happening,
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00:08:45,394 --> 00:08:46,534
because nobody's
talking about it.
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00:08:48,353 --> 00:08:50,183
I couldn't-- I
couldn't stay quiet.
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00:09:08,765 --> 00:09:10,415
- That's Maria's belt?
- Si, si.
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00:09:10,462 --> 00:09:12,162
I guess like any proud parent
130
00:09:12,203 --> 00:09:16,033
displaying their children's
trophies, a proud luchadore
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00:09:16,077 --> 00:09:18,727
with display their
Fighting Cholita's belt.
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00:09:47,717 --> 00:09:50,807
How did it make you feel
the first time you saw your...
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00:09:50,851 --> 00:09:52,941
your babies, your
children in the ring?
134
00:10:23,710 --> 00:10:27,150
El Alto, Bolivia sits
13,000 feet above sea level,
135
00:10:27,191 --> 00:10:29,541
overlooking the
capital city of La Paz.
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00:10:29,585 --> 00:10:31,665
It's home to over
a million residents,
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00:10:31,718 --> 00:10:34,898
most of whom are of the
Indigenous Aymara or Quechua.
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00:10:34,938 --> 00:10:37,328
For decades, Bolivia has
had a style of wrestling
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00:10:37,375 --> 00:10:39,895
highly derivative of
Mexican Lucha Libre,
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00:10:39,943 --> 00:10:42,293
but around 15 years ago
in a rapidly changing
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00:10:42,337 --> 00:10:46,207
political climate, the Fighting
Cholitas came into being.
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00:10:46,254 --> 00:10:49,744
I'm meeting with my local guide
and Bolivian historian Valeria
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00:10:49,779 --> 00:10:52,429
to show me around and to
find out who these women are,
144
00:10:52,477 --> 00:10:54,647
and how they came
to be wrestlers.
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00:10:55,437 --> 00:10:58,877
Most of the people in Bolivia,
it's a mix between Indigenous
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00:10:58,919 --> 00:11:01,569
and all our roots from Spanish,
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00:11:01,617 --> 00:11:06,927
but we have like 75% of our
population right now Indigenous.
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00:11:08,668 --> 00:11:12,058
But all of the Cholitas and
all of the Indigenous people
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00:11:12,106 --> 00:11:16,276
were not identifying
themselves as Bolivians,
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00:11:16,327 --> 00:11:23,027
because even just 15 years ago,
Cholitas would not be able to go
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00:11:23,073 --> 00:11:25,603
on an airplane
dressed as Cholitas.
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00:11:25,641 --> 00:11:29,251
They would be asked
to dress differently
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00:11:29,297 --> 00:11:32,127
in order to board a flight.
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00:11:35,564 --> 00:11:37,614
Where is this
discrimination coming from?
155
00:13:24,064 --> 00:13:25,764
What goes inside.
156
00:13:25,805 --> 00:13:27,235
Oh, like an underskirt?
157
00:13:27,284 --> 00:13:28,464
Ohhh.
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00:13:41,472 --> 00:13:44,782
At the time that she's wrestling
is what you'll see the most.
159
00:13:44,824 --> 00:13:46,394
That's true, you want
it to look beautiful.
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00:13:56,270 --> 00:13:57,450
Ah!
161
00:14:00,448 --> 00:14:02,448
What were people's
like to seeing you?
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00:14:02,493 --> 00:14:04,503
'Cause you're the
first women luchadores.
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00:14:23,384 --> 00:14:27,044
It's amazing looking at the
rise of the Fighting Cholitas
164
00:14:27,083 --> 00:14:30,093
and Bolivia as a country,
and just how much it's changed
165
00:14:30,130 --> 00:14:31,740
during that period.
166
00:14:31,783 --> 00:14:34,573
Because when you started, it was
a really tense time politically.
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00:14:34,612 --> 00:14:36,052
It was a civil war.
168
00:14:51,803 --> 00:14:54,553
The Bolivian
Gas War took place in 2003
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00:14:54,589 --> 00:14:56,849
with the government's plan
to sell off the country's
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00:14:56,896 --> 00:14:59,156
newly discovered gas reserves.
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00:14:59,202 --> 00:15:01,682
Fuelled by a deep history
of colonial exploitation
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00:15:01,726 --> 00:15:04,946
of natural resources such as
silver and gold, along with
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00:15:04,991 --> 00:15:07,601
a weakened economy and
impoverished living conditions,
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00:15:07,645 --> 00:15:10,295
Bolivians took to the streets
to strike in protest...
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00:15:11,954 --> 00:15:13,704
...but were met with
a violent response.
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00:15:15,088 --> 00:15:17,348
60 people, mostly from
El Alto, were killed,
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00:15:17,394 --> 00:15:18,964
and many more were wounded.
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00:17:22,041 --> 00:17:24,391
Domestic abuse is
prevalent in Bolivia,
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00:17:24,434 --> 00:17:27,874
with 53% of Bolivian women
having experienced physical
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00:17:27,916 --> 00:17:30,396
or sexual violence at
the hands of a partner,
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00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,790
one of the highest rates of
any country in South America.
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00:17:50,156 --> 00:17:53,116
Helen, how did you first
find out about this space?
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00:21:15,012 --> 00:21:16,932
One, two. Good, find the two.
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00:21:16,971 --> 00:21:18,191
Two three two.
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00:21:18,233 --> 00:21:20,283
Good, good work, shake it out.
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00:21:20,322 --> 00:21:22,112
You know, when we talk
about domestic violence,
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00:21:22,150 --> 00:21:24,460
there's always this idea
of the perfect victim.
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00:21:24,500 --> 00:21:28,070
Somebody who is a model citizen,
someone who doesn't curse,
189
00:21:28,112 --> 00:21:30,512
someone who doesn't
initiate violence,
190
00:21:30,550 --> 00:21:32,070
someone who doesn't partake
in violence, right?
191
00:21:32,116 --> 00:21:33,856
Wrestling's a violent sport.
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00:21:33,901 --> 00:21:36,381
When you think of
the perfect victims,
193
00:21:36,425 --> 00:21:39,425
those are the kind of
labels we put on people that
194
00:21:39,472 --> 00:21:41,212
if they can subscribe
to all of those things,
195
00:21:41,256 --> 00:21:42,816
right, if they can
just be perfect,
196
00:21:42,866 --> 00:21:44,776
then they're
deserving of support.
197
00:21:44,825 --> 00:21:47,305
And so you look at
someone like Mia,
198
00:21:47,349 --> 00:21:49,129
who's a professional wrestler,
199
00:21:49,177 --> 00:21:51,567
and the element of victim
blaming comes in, right?
200
00:21:53,094 --> 00:21:54,844
"She could've fought back,"
or, "Maybe if she didn't date
201
00:21:54,878 --> 00:21:58,618
a wrestler, she wouldn't find
herself in this situation."
202
00:22:00,797 --> 00:22:02,187
So what about
connecting with her though?
203
00:22:02,233 --> 00:22:04,113
You kind of, I guess
at some point though,
204
00:22:04,148 --> 00:22:05,368
crossed that line, right?
205
00:22:05,411 --> 00:22:07,761
- From fan to friend.
- To friend.
206
00:22:07,804 --> 00:22:10,154
I mean, I think the world
of Mia, she's great.
207
00:22:10,198 --> 00:22:12,458
You know, I think that's
the power of social media.
208
00:22:13,897 --> 00:22:17,247
I'm someone who has had friends
and family who've been impacted
209
00:22:17,292 --> 00:22:19,082
by domestic violence.
210
00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:22,040
But then I saw that she was
retweeting a bunch of different
211
00:22:22,079 --> 00:22:23,989
domestic violence campaigns.
212
00:22:25,735 --> 00:22:29,905
The Put The Nail In It campaign
is a campaign that aims to end
213
00:22:29,957 --> 00:22:32,217
the silence around
domestic violence.
214
00:22:32,263 --> 00:22:34,833
You know, the idea was that
if you painted your left ring
215
00:22:34,875 --> 00:22:37,965
fingernail purple, hopefully
somebody would spot it
216
00:22:38,008 --> 00:22:39,968
and ask you a question like,
"What's that about?"
217
00:22:41,447 --> 00:22:44,057
And so being a
wrestling fan, I saw Mia,
218
00:22:44,101 --> 00:22:47,241
and I saw that she
had the painted nail.
219
00:22:47,278 --> 00:22:51,278
And so I said hmm, you know,
let me just reach out to Mia
220
00:22:51,326 --> 00:22:54,106
and see if she'd feel
comfortable speaking.
221
00:22:55,461 --> 00:22:57,161
He would cry, he
would apologize,
222
00:22:57,201 --> 00:22:59,331
he was a changed man,
he learned his lesson.
223
00:22:59,378 --> 00:23:03,158
A week later, we'd
get into an argument,
224
00:23:03,207 --> 00:23:06,647
he just scoops me up,
tossed me in the closet.
225
00:23:06,689 --> 00:23:08,299
And that was my first
time I fought back,
226
00:23:08,343 --> 00:23:11,393
'cause I broke down the door,
and then I came out swinging
227
00:23:11,433 --> 00:23:13,783
'cause he just stood there
like he couldn't believe
228
00:23:13,827 --> 00:23:15,387
I got through the door.
229
00:23:15,437 --> 00:23:17,177
So...
230
00:23:18,701 --> 00:23:20,011
It's okay.
231
00:23:21,661 --> 00:23:25,321
I thought about my
family, and how...
232
00:23:25,360 --> 00:23:29,760
I will be damned if my
parents have to bury me.
233
00:23:30,887 --> 00:23:34,497
So I broke down the closet,
first time I fought back.
234
00:23:34,543 --> 00:23:36,023
Um...
235
00:23:38,547 --> 00:23:43,937
And of course, he just easily
just... scooped me up,
236
00:23:43,987 --> 00:23:46,507
put me down, he mounted me
and started choking me.
237
00:23:49,384 --> 00:23:53,784
I want to be an advocate,
I want to help others
238
00:23:53,823 --> 00:23:55,303
that's been in my situation.
239
00:23:55,346 --> 00:23:56,436
I just don't know how.
240
00:23:58,045 --> 00:24:00,345
And so for Mia, I wanted to let
her know that I was interested
241
00:24:00,395 --> 00:24:02,615
in exploring the story with
her, and getting it out there,
242
00:24:02,658 --> 00:24:05,268
and that she also had final
approval on the piece that
243
00:24:05,313 --> 00:24:07,183
we did submit for
The Huffington Post.
244
00:24:08,708 --> 00:24:10,318
And I was a little scared.
245
00:24:10,361 --> 00:24:15,671
Would she be met with that same
hyper-masculinity victim blaming
246
00:24:15,715 --> 00:24:18,665
that's so common when
women come forward?
247
00:24:18,718 --> 00:24:20,808
But I was surprised.
248
00:24:27,335 --> 00:24:28,545
Annabelle is the youngest of
249
00:24:28,597 --> 00:24:30,557
the Fighting
Cholitas in El Alto.
250
00:24:30,599 --> 00:24:32,689
Still in high school,
she represents
251
00:24:32,732 --> 00:24:34,392
a new generation of wrestlers.
252
00:25:20,388 --> 00:25:21,648
Oh!
253
00:26:30,284 --> 00:26:34,644
It seems to me the part
that's missing is educating men,
254
00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,030
'cause the men are the
perpetrators of this violence.
255
00:26:37,073 --> 00:26:39,083
What kind of changes
are happening there?
256
00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:42,599
Is there any efforts being
made to kinda adjust society?
257
00:27:30,605 --> 00:27:32,995
I'm to understand that you've
gone out and actually formed
258
00:27:33,042 --> 00:27:35,312
your own federation, a women's
federation now, right?
259
00:28:50,816 --> 00:28:53,206
The Fighting Cholita's
league is still in its infancy,
260
00:28:53,253 --> 00:28:55,263
and has to rely on male
promoters for access
261
00:28:55,298 --> 00:28:57,258
to both a ring and a venue.
262
00:28:57,300 --> 00:28:59,090
If they're able to
become fully independent,
263
00:28:59,128 --> 00:29:00,868
it will mark an
important point in history
264
00:29:00,913 --> 00:29:02,923
for women's wrestling.
265
00:29:02,958 --> 00:29:05,438
Outside of Japan and a few
short-lived promotions in
266
00:29:05,482 --> 00:29:08,792
the UK, the Cholitas would be
the first promotion to be fully
267
00:29:08,834 --> 00:29:12,054
owned and controlled by the
female wrestlers themselves.
268
00:29:26,634 --> 00:29:28,164
Pen!
269
00:29:28,201 --> 00:29:29,901
Thanks for that, Howard.
270
00:29:39,734 --> 00:29:45,784
Shimmer is the WrestleMania of
women's independent wrestling.
271
00:29:46,915 --> 00:29:51,175
It is women from all over
the world that are known for
272
00:29:51,224 --> 00:29:54,534
their work, rather than
just being sexy or whatnot.
273
00:29:55,706 --> 00:30:00,536
This is pro wrestling
with female athletes.
274
00:30:00,581 --> 00:30:02,801
We're giving them
more of an opportunity.
275
00:30:02,844 --> 00:30:05,724
We're allowing them to
showcase their athleticism.
276
00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:09,330
We're not here for a
bunch of goofy stories.
277
00:30:09,372 --> 00:30:12,032
We're not here for
showing you the goods.
278
00:30:12,071 --> 00:30:13,511
We're not gonna
give that to you.
279
00:30:14,943 --> 00:30:17,213
We're not the side dish,
we're the main dish.
280
00:30:17,250 --> 00:30:20,990
We are the meat and
potatoes of women's wrestling.
281
00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:25,820
You're gonna see brawling,
you're gonna see technical
282
00:30:25,867 --> 00:30:28,167
wrestling, you're gonna see
high flying, and you're gonna
283
00:30:28,217 --> 00:30:31,997
see women in a capacity
you might not normally see.
284
00:30:41,100 --> 00:30:46,890
Mia! Mia! Mia!
Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia! Mia!
285
00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,590
Shimmer is the only
league of its kind in America.
286
00:30:57,638 --> 00:31:00,248
While there are other
women-centric promotions,
287
00:31:00,293 --> 00:31:01,903
they don't have the same mandate
288
00:31:01,947 --> 00:31:04,297
to specifically highlight
female athleticism.
289
00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:08,390
Within the American wrestling
system, there's been
290
00:31:08,431 --> 00:31:11,701
a lot of talk recently
about a women's revolution.
291
00:31:11,739 --> 00:31:14,439
The buzz has grown so popular
that even the large corporate
292
00:31:14,481 --> 00:31:16,881
wrestling companies have
had to take notice and change
293
00:31:16,918 --> 00:31:18,958
the presentation of
women's wrestling.
294
00:31:21,575 --> 00:31:25,185
A great deal of responsibility
for this changing tide is owed
295
00:31:25,231 --> 00:31:28,841
to the organizers of Shimmer,
and the women they feature.
296
00:31:28,887 --> 00:31:31,797
Without them, the world of
pro wrestling would still be
297
00:31:31,846 --> 00:31:33,496
living in the past.
298
00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,640
I think out of all the wrestling
shows I've been to lately -
299
00:31:40,681 --> 00:31:42,941
and I've been to a lot lately -
this is one of the most
300
00:31:42,988 --> 00:31:46,558
respectful audiences,
certainly in America or Canada,
301
00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:48,170
that I've ever seen.
302
00:31:48,210 --> 00:31:50,560
Is that something that was like
that from the very beginning,
303
00:31:50,604 --> 00:31:52,524
or is that something
you've had to cultivate here?
304
00:31:52,562 --> 00:31:56,002
Back when we first
started this in 2005,
305
00:31:56,044 --> 00:31:59,134
women were facing the problem,
particularly on the indies.
306
00:31:59,178 --> 00:32:02,658
When we would hit the ring
at any kind of "regular" show
307
00:32:02,703 --> 00:32:04,793
I would say, like
a mostly male show,
308
00:32:04,835 --> 00:32:08,135
fans would openly get
up and go to the bar,
309
00:32:08,187 --> 00:32:10,147
get something to
drink, get a snack.
310
00:32:10,189 --> 00:32:13,189
I've done shows where the
fans pick their chairs up,
311
00:32:13,235 --> 00:32:16,105
turned them around, and sat
like this with their backs to us
312
00:32:16,151 --> 00:32:19,681
to make us know that we
weren't welcome, that we were
313
00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:23,510
taking away from male matches
that they wanted to watch.
314
00:32:26,031 --> 00:32:27,771
Where do you think
that animosity
315
00:32:27,815 --> 00:32:29,985
towards women's
wrestling comes from?
316
00:32:30,035 --> 00:32:31,815
It's just straight up misogyny.
317
00:32:31,862 --> 00:32:35,392
And it goes back to the
old school mentality of
318
00:32:35,431 --> 00:32:37,131
men are the leaders.
319
00:32:37,172 --> 00:32:38,832
Men do the heavy lifting.
320
00:32:38,869 --> 00:32:40,999
Women just stay in the
background and do this.
321
00:32:41,046 --> 00:32:43,476
And I think deep down,
it's engrained in
322
00:32:43,526 --> 00:32:47,096
a lot of fans' heads that
this isn't what women do.
323
00:32:47,139 --> 00:32:49,749
And a lot of fans
just didn't like it.
324
00:32:49,793 --> 00:32:52,013
They felt we were encroaching on
325
00:32:52,057 --> 00:32:54,797
the territory of
something they loved.
326
00:32:54,842 --> 00:32:57,762
We've had women's
wrestling over the years,
327
00:32:57,801 --> 00:33:00,801
and then we had GLOW
which openly acknowledged
328
00:33:00,848 --> 00:33:04,158
most of those people were
actresses playing a part.
329
00:33:04,199 --> 00:33:08,029
So they're used to seeing these
amazing athletics from the men,
330
00:33:08,073 --> 00:33:10,383
and then the women
are trying to catch up
331
00:33:10,423 --> 00:33:11,823
and given that opportunity.
332
00:33:11,859 --> 00:33:14,299
And the women who could
wrestle were held back
333
00:33:14,340 --> 00:33:15,520
for not being pretty enough.
334
00:33:18,692 --> 00:33:21,702
Back then, women's
wrestling in my experience,
335
00:33:21,738 --> 00:33:24,568
from what I've been through,
it was just sexualized.
336
00:33:24,611 --> 00:33:27,401
Bra and panty matches, mud
matches, specialty matches,
337
00:33:27,440 --> 00:33:31,050
and I'm sure it was a lot
worse before I started.
338
00:33:34,099 --> 00:33:37,889
So when we started Shimmer
and Prazak pitched the idea,
339
00:33:37,928 --> 00:33:42,848
we really wanted to find that
niche and find the people who
340
00:33:42,890 --> 00:33:46,070
believed in women's wrestling,
and believed in the athletes
341
00:33:46,111 --> 00:33:48,161
that we have and
that we present.
342
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:51,250
And we started getting
away from the cat fights,
343
00:33:51,290 --> 00:33:53,210
and the evening gown matches.
344
00:33:53,248 --> 00:33:55,338
And no matter who
told us it was wrong,
345
00:33:55,381 --> 00:33:57,601
we knew here and
here it was right,
346
00:33:57,644 --> 00:33:59,174
and so we just kept going.
347
00:33:59,211 --> 00:34:00,691
We're like alright,
they don't like it,
348
00:34:00,734 --> 00:34:02,524
let's move to the next person.
349
00:34:02,562 --> 00:34:04,092
Mia! Mia!
350
00:34:04,129 --> 00:34:06,609
We weren't gonna be able to
change everybody's minds,
351
00:34:06,653 --> 00:34:09,403
but if we worked really hard,
we would be able to educate
352
00:34:09,438 --> 00:34:12,348
some people on what we do,
and change minds that way.
353
00:34:18,534 --> 00:34:21,414
Everywhere you go that
I've been so far around,
354
00:34:21,450 --> 00:34:24,060
you see signs of Evo Morales.
355
00:34:24,105 --> 00:34:25,975
Can you explain a little
bit about his presidency
356
00:34:26,020 --> 00:34:27,460
and how he became elected?
357
00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:29,200
He was a natural leader.
358
00:34:29,241 --> 00:34:32,641
He was president of all of
the unions in our central area
359
00:34:32,679 --> 00:34:36,069
that we call Chapare, where
they produce the coca leaves.
360
00:34:36,117 --> 00:34:40,857
And then he started
getting involved in politics,
361
00:34:40,904 --> 00:34:44,304
and he decided to
found his own party
362
00:34:44,343 --> 00:34:47,743
that is a movement
towards socialism.
363
00:34:49,043 --> 00:34:51,483
So not only was Evo a
very progressive force
364
00:34:51,524 --> 00:34:53,004
when it comes to labour
and things like that,
365
00:34:53,047 --> 00:34:55,137
but he was also the first
Indigenous president, right?
366
00:34:55,180 --> 00:34:56,570
Yes, actually.
367
00:34:56,616 --> 00:34:59,656
How did that affect the
psychology of people here?
368
00:34:59,706 --> 00:35:03,006
It created a new identity,
369
00:35:03,057 --> 00:35:08,717
because we have like 75% of our
population right now Indigenous.
370
00:35:08,758 --> 00:35:14,678
So during the '70s, people who
have Indigenous last names
371
00:35:14,721 --> 00:35:17,461
would not be able
to go to university,
372
00:35:17,506 --> 00:35:21,546
but now they are free
to do whatever they want.
373
00:35:21,597 --> 00:35:25,687
What Evo Morales has done
is that he has created
374
00:35:25,732 --> 00:35:28,522
a new identity of a country.
375
00:35:28,561 --> 00:35:33,261
And part of that identity is the
Cholitas as an icon of the city
376
00:35:33,305 --> 00:35:35,515
and of our country.
377
00:35:51,584 --> 00:35:54,804
Watching you two work
together, it's amazing,
378
00:35:54,848 --> 00:35:57,978
the trust that you must have and
the faith you put in each other.
379
00:35:58,025 --> 00:36:01,025
Is that something that
transcends the ring?
380
00:36:01,071 --> 00:36:02,511
- Absolutely!
- Yeah.
381
00:36:02,551 --> 00:36:03,771
Half of the stuff we do,
382
00:36:03,813 --> 00:36:05,423
whether we're fighting
against each other
383
00:36:05,467 --> 00:36:10,337
or teaming up together,
it's all just us being us.
384
00:36:10,385 --> 00:36:12,945
So we don't call any of it,
we don't plan any of it.
385
00:36:12,996 --> 00:36:15,346
A majority of it
is legit just us.
386
00:36:15,390 --> 00:36:16,830
It's just us being like...
387
00:36:16,870 --> 00:36:18,790
When we got close...
388
00:36:18,828 --> 00:36:20,658
I moved to Florida for my ex.
389
00:36:20,700 --> 00:36:23,530
So then we had our own clique,
and that's how we got to bond
390
00:36:23,572 --> 00:36:25,142
and get to know each other.
391
00:36:25,183 --> 00:36:28,713
So not only is she
my wrestling friend,
392
00:36:28,751 --> 00:36:30,141
she's my real friend.
393
00:36:31,667 --> 00:36:35,317
So when I finally left,
she was there when
394
00:36:35,367 --> 00:36:38,497
all of our mutual friends
thought I was exaggerating
395
00:36:38,544 --> 00:36:40,114
or lying or just making it up.
396
00:36:40,154 --> 00:36:43,294
She was there to tell me you do
what you gotta do to be safe,
397
00:36:43,331 --> 00:36:44,851
and I'll be there for you.
398
00:36:48,336 --> 00:36:51,026
When Mia first was able to
come forward about the abuse
399
00:36:51,078 --> 00:36:54,648
she experienced, there was
people around her that went to
400
00:36:54,690 --> 00:36:58,090
the abuser and just protected
him, and tried to protect him.
401
00:36:58,128 --> 00:37:02,308
Sometimes I think people protect
the abuser because they can't
402
00:37:02,350 --> 00:37:06,010
fathom that the abuser
would've actually done that.
403
00:37:06,049 --> 00:37:08,179
"Oh, you're just
being hysterical."
404
00:37:08,226 --> 00:37:11,186
"Oh, calm down, that
couldn't have really happened."
405
00:37:11,229 --> 00:37:15,449
And they almost
gaslight you in a way of
406
00:37:15,494 --> 00:37:17,414
they make you second guess.
407
00:37:17,452 --> 00:37:19,412
Was it really that bad?
408
00:37:19,454 --> 00:37:21,894
And so that's
extremely frustrating.
409
00:37:23,502 --> 00:37:26,852
I couldn't stay quiet and
let it keep happening because
410
00:37:26,896 --> 00:37:29,326
the abusers think that oh,
well they-- if they talk,
411
00:37:29,377 --> 00:37:31,287
then we're gonna
beat them up some more.
412
00:37:32,685 --> 00:37:37,035
It wasn't until when I came out
with my story that I realized
413
00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:39,170
how many people were supportive.
414
00:37:40,606 --> 00:37:44,646
It was just crazy that not only
is it just like my friends
415
00:37:44,697 --> 00:37:47,737
at Shimmer, or my
friends at Impact,
416
00:37:47,787 --> 00:37:50,527
it was everybody, like people
I've never even met before.
417
00:37:52,357 --> 00:37:55,617
And it was... it was refreshing
to know I'm not crazy.
418
00:37:57,362 --> 00:37:59,932
Some people wanna...
wanna criticize it,
419
00:37:59,973 --> 00:38:03,413
that it was a glory grab,
it was an attention grab.
420
00:38:03,455 --> 00:38:06,845
I think it was
something so unselfish,
421
00:38:06,893 --> 00:38:11,853
because she put
strangers ahead of herself,
422
00:38:11,898 --> 00:38:14,198
because she doesn't want
anyone else to ever be
423
00:38:14,248 --> 00:38:15,948
in that situation.
424
00:38:15,989 --> 00:38:21,779
And she made us in
the locker room feel safe
425
00:38:21,821 --> 00:38:24,301
to start talking
about our own situations.
426
00:38:25,912 --> 00:38:29,262
My situation, I didn't
talk about it for 20 years.
427
00:38:29,307 --> 00:38:31,437
I didn't tell anyone.
428
00:38:31,483 --> 00:38:34,183
My husband was the
only person that knew.
429
00:38:34,224 --> 00:38:37,584
Now I feel better
talking about it because
430
00:38:37,619 --> 00:38:41,059
she put herself out
there for everybody.
431
00:38:41,101 --> 00:38:44,321
Like a lot of people don't
realize what she put on the line
432
00:38:44,365 --> 00:38:45,575
to do that.
433
00:38:45,627 --> 00:38:47,927
That essentially
could've ruined her career,
434
00:38:47,977 --> 00:38:50,197
and she did it.
435
00:38:50,240 --> 00:38:51,630
She did it anyway.
436
00:38:57,509 --> 00:39:00,379
That glass ceiling,
we're shattering it.
437
00:39:00,425 --> 00:39:03,375
You know, granted, still to
this day we're not getting paid
438
00:39:03,428 --> 00:39:06,648
as much as men, and we
still have some obstacles,
439
00:39:06,692 --> 00:39:08,612
but we'll take the
little victories.
440
00:39:11,653 --> 00:39:16,793
I think with the
platform that I am given,
441
00:39:16,832 --> 00:39:19,972
I don't want to be
selfish and just focus on me.
442
00:39:20,009 --> 00:39:22,229
It's not about me,
it's about the issues
443
00:39:22,272 --> 00:39:24,192
that's going on right now.
444
00:39:24,231 --> 00:39:27,451
When I'm done wrestling,
I want people to say,
445
00:39:27,495 --> 00:39:30,625
"She's the one that opened
up about domestic violence.
446
00:39:30,672 --> 00:39:34,552
Now look at what's
happened with that story."
447
00:41:12,426 --> 00:41:15,296
That's really kind of the other
thing that I found interesting
448
00:41:15,342 --> 00:41:18,432
when talking to people, is how
much what you do in the ring has
449
00:41:18,476 --> 00:41:20,606
affected the world
outside of the ring,
450
00:41:20,652 --> 00:41:23,522
and how much of an important
role you've played in sort of
451
00:41:23,568 --> 00:41:26,478
this... I don't know, this
amazing period of growth
452
00:41:26,527 --> 00:41:28,007
that's happened in this country.
453
00:41:54,990 --> 00:41:57,560
That's why I think the Fighting
Cholitas are so important and
454
00:41:57,602 --> 00:42:02,002
so awesome for all of wrestling,
is because it's not just amazing
455
00:42:02,041 --> 00:42:05,171
wrestling, there's also like
fighting against discrimination,
456
00:42:05,218 --> 00:42:07,258
fighting against oppression,
457
00:42:07,307 --> 00:42:09,607
and fighting against
unfair labour practices.
458
00:42:09,657 --> 00:42:11,827
And that's... you know,
and it's just so much more
459
00:42:11,877 --> 00:42:13,177
than just fighting in the ring.
460
00:42:13,226 --> 00:42:14,396
It's fighting outside
of the ring that you do
461
00:42:14,444 --> 00:42:16,144
that's so inspiring.