Big Swole has never been one to bite her tongue when it comes to representation in wrestling. Last year, she wrote a blog on RISE's website about the subject and appeared on the Wrestling With Stereotypes panel at Starrcast 3 to give further thoughts.
Speaking to Philip Lindsey of Bell to Belles, Swole discussed how things have changed in RISE and SHINE since her blog.
“Well, it’s been a change, especially since after doing my piece on #RepresentationMatters and bringing it forward. Because I feel like I spent a lot of time I guess like building up my reputation and my name and my word and everything like that so when I say stuff it means something. So just representing the companies and also speaking out against something I see is wrong, it’s definitely brought a lot more light and a lot more opportunities for women of color like to SHINE and all over now," she said.
Swole was also asked about WWE often excluding black women from Black History Month vignettes that the company airs in February.
“Yeah, It’s one of those things where I personally believe that the black woman is always either pushed to the side or forgotten about," she said. "So, when it’s time to list off the accolades for whoever did what as far as being black, you know? We’re always on the bottom of the list or the bottom of the totem pole. I believe that like people like myself or Tasha Steelz or Holidead, I think we’re pressing the issue saying, you know, we are here, you know? Trish Adora, the same as her. Like we’re here. We’ve made this history. We’re continuing to make history and we’re not going to go anywhere. I just believe that once we get enough voices that we’ll eventually be heard and eventually they’ll show, you know, people that paved the way beforehand and not just see them as ‘oh this is a sideshow’ but realizing that hey these matches with Jazz helped make this person’s career, you know?”
Swole is currently signed to AEW and stepped to current AEW Women's Champion Nyla Rose on Wednesday's episode of AEW Dynamite.
If you missed anything from Wednesday's AEW Dynamite, check out Fightful's full report by clicking here.
