10 Things We Learned From WWE 24: Trish Stratus
6. The WWF Locker Room Laughed At Stratus
The same went for changing opinions in the locker room.
There are some startling comments in 24, mainly from D-Von Dudley and Lita. First, D-Von admits guys backstage laughed at the thought of Trish becoming a pro wrestler "because she was a fitness model" and they "didn't think she'd last". Then, Lita says that Trish had to work hard to "make all of us eat our words".
This suggests that Stratus fought an uphill battle against internal preconceptions about her right to be in the WWF and, eventually, become a viable Women's Champion. It's incredible to hear Dudley hint at a bullying culture in the locker room back in 2000-2001. Pretty much nobody was fighting Trish's corner.
She was seen as someone who was only there to act as eye candy, and there was a bit of shock when she was picked to win the title at Survivor Series '01. This part of the doc is fascinating, and it shows exactly how much resistance Stratus managed to overcome during her run.