[Rogue]

Note that first of all Stephanie was born into this business and hence it was always her destiny to be heavily involved. She met her real life husband in it and they will most likely run WWE when her father steps down. She's Executive Vice President of Talent and Creative Writing, so it's entirely possible that she herself scripted that she be picked on by 3 men.

Although not accomplished by any means, she has been an in ring performer and knows how to take a "bump" like this. So while one could argue that she is a victim of being brought up in this crazy family, she is completely protected in every way - storylines, financially and physically. If she can help make the fans hate Randy Orton just a little bit more by Wrestlemania, so more people will buy the PPV to see him lose to her husband - she's happy to do it frankly.

While I can't argue with Stern's observations, I can tell you the two main reasons things are this way.

1. In order to fit in with pro wrestling's system of suspending belief and a persona's' credibility, women have to take this place in the "food chain" for lack of a better word. For example, wrestlers in a match can exchange punches quickly, they're dazed for a moment can easily come back. If a referee gets punched, he's out cold for 5 or 10 minutes guaranteed. If a woman gets punched or even knocked over by a man, it's the same. If they get a finishing move done on them, they'll probably go missing for a few weeks. If the woman, referee or any other non superstar does not "sell" their big move like that, then his opponents would have no reason to fear it in a match and the audience would simply not accept it as a move to get the 3 count anymore.

2. The second reason is Vince McMahon and WWE becoming an entertainment show first and a wrestling show second. It started in 1985 with Wrestlemania 1, yet the first ever "diva" was Sunny in the mid 90's.

Before that, although there was a championship that still exists today, competition was minimal and women were mostly valets. Then in the late 90's when things became edgy during the "Attitude Era" to compete with a winning rival, along came the bra and panties matches and chants of "We want puppies" to some actually talented women. Misogynistic and degrading would be fair words to use.

Although they've toned it down in the last few years, they still hire lingerie models with no acting skills and incredibly, not even dancing skills either. Most end up in the ring within a year and most are poor performers.

Believe it or not its worse in TNA, "Total Non Stop Action", WWE's only remaining rival company. They have far superior female wrestlers on their roster who have really been given a chance and have had some great matches in the last couple of years. They pride themselves on not being diva's, but rather equally sexy and tough.

It doesn't matter though, because the man in charge of writing there, does without any doubt, hate women. He may never admit it but you can see it stamped all over his pathetic work - Vince Russo. An example being last year when Roxxi's punishment for losing her match was to be shaved bald. This storyline had no build or meaning other than a quick shock and then move on, but Roxxi then had to spend the better part of a year growing it back - and for what? At least chants of "Fire Russo" broke out in the crowd.

So before you blame pro wrestling in general, it wasn't always like this - this is the guys in charge's perspective and it's what they're feeding us.