WWE has long abandoned the "Divas" moniker to describe its female division, but Stephanie McMahon said WWE is trying to further push gender equality inside the company.
In an interview with Sky Sports, McMahon said the company is trying to put women in more prominent roles on television and that women needs to be recognized for their athletic achievements and not be sexualized.
"Our men and women have to wear spandex-type clothing because what they do in the ring is actually quite dangerous," McMahon said. "If you had a lot of loose clothing then it could be a problem in the ring. This is athletics, this is sports, this is like live action theatre and there's no denying the athleticism of our women in the ring and what they can do."
Since abandoning the WWE Divas Title and creating the WWE Women's Championship (later rebranded as the RAW Women's Championship) at WrestleMania 32, WWE has further strived to showcase the women's division. The company had Charlotte and Sasha Banks be the first women to ever headline a WWE pay-per-view when they did at the 2016 Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
"I think WWE is a part of the movement," McMahon said. "What you're seeing is the audience and the audience is clamouring to see women in more roles whether that be it in athletics or in business. Women bring a lot to the table and it's about time that's recognised."
The full interview can be read at this link. McMahon currently serves as the commissioner for Monday Night RAW.
