WWE Legend Was Afraid To Call Herself a Wrestler Around Male Talent
Trish Stratus, hands down, is one of the greatest WWE stars to help define women’s wrestling. But during her early WWE years, before her heyday, she hesitated to call herself a “wrestler” around male talent.
During an interview with Chris Van Vliet, the seven-time WWE Women’s Champion revealed the moment she broke the proverbial glass ceiling in a male-dominated landscape.
Trish Stratus Feared Calling Herself a “Wrestler”
It’s no secret that today’s WWE era is a far cry from the 90s and early 2000s. During that time, women were perceived as eye candy on TV rather than as wrestlers, despite having athletic talent.
Due to this gender divide, women’s wrestling took time to break out. It was during this time that Trish Stratus was trying to find her footing in the industry as a wrestler.
According to the WWE Hall of Famer, she didn’t feel comfortable claiming the same label as them because men had “put in the time.”
While recalling an incident at an airport, Stratus said she avoided acknowledging she was a wrestler whenever she got spotted by fans. Especially when she was around male wrestlers.
She stated, “If we were at an airport, for example, and there’s fans and they’re like, and someone would say, ‘Oh, are you one of the wrestlers?’ I would, like, be looking around to make sure there was none of the boys around. Cause, like, heaven forbid I said yes, ’cause they were like, ‘Did you just call yourself a wrestler?’
She continued, “Because, like, they put in the time. They’ve done their thing. And even though I’ve had matches. I wrestle, we’re on the road the same amount of time. It was kind of very different back then, you know?
She further added, “So because of it, I think I have a little PTSD about it, but it took a while for me to acknowledge the fact that, like, yeah, I’m a wrestler.”
The tide began to turn when WWE brought in stars like Victoria, Jazz, Molly Holly, and other notable names. At this point, Stratus didn’t feel like she was merely dabbling.
Furthermore, Trish Stratus feels she finally earned the label “wrestler” after her iconic chair-shot moment with Victoria. That spot for Stratus was an “I made it” moment in her career.
The Canadian wrestler last appeared on WWE TV in July 2025 at Evolution. She faced Tiffany Stratton in a WWE Women’s Title match in a losing effort. It’s safe to say, however, that Stratus will return to the ring when the time is right. At 50 years old, Trish Stratus doesn’t need to be an active competitor. And with WWE giving legends retirement tours, it will be interesting to see Trish Stratus get one of her own if the time comes.
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