10 Things We Don't Miss About WWE's Attitude Era

9. Rampant Misogyny

Jerry Lawler Arm Wrestle
WWE.com

Misogyny wasn't endemic to the WWF at the turn of the millennium - but it was so casual and accepted within the Federation that it borders on the sinister in hindsight.

As retrograde even as the 1960s depiction of women in film and television, instances were as countless as they were unseemly. The Godfather was flanked to the ring by a harem of 'hoes'. Non-wrestling female personalities were constantly driven through tables by the Dudley Boyz. Trish Stratus was made to disrobe and bark like a dog by Mr. McMahon. Chris Jericho would incessantly slut-shame Stephanie McMahon. Bikini contests and bra and panties matches were so prevalent that it's no wonder the likes of AJ Lee, Sasha Banks, and Bayley entered wrestling to not merely take part but to revolutionise it.

To their credit, at least, the characters who were outwardly misogynistic were at least served their due comeuppance. Jeff Jarrett was a discomforting breadwinner, wife-beater type - and Chyna handily thrashed him in a 'Good Housekeeping' match. This was a revolutionary booking decision which saw her become the first female to win a WWF singles title. While Sable also forcefully freed herself from the tyranny of oppressive husband Marc Mero, the extent to which liberation is born from undressing to appease other men is debatable.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!