20 Things You Didn’t Know About Trish Stratus
13. The WWF Locker Room Giggled Behind Her Back
Emphasis on "long road".
The WWE locker room wasn't especially friendly towards the thought of Trish wrestling. Some, like D-Von Dudley, admitted on the Network that nobody thought she'd last in the promotion if she was asked to take bumps. Others like Lita, who became great friends with Stratus, admitted she had to work extra hard to change opinions.
Lita and the rest of the female roster doubted that this tiny model hired to stand around ringside as the punchline to dumb sex jokes could work a lick. The laughter grew and grew until Trish knew she had to force change and maximise any minutes she was given in-ring.
Nobody was fighting Trish's corner but her, and that resistance continued for almost two years after Stratus inked a WWE deal. That's how long it took for some backstage to come around and realise that hey, this so-called valet had a fighting chance.