On the latest edition of her Call In show pro-wrestling star Big Swole spoke more about her experience in AEW, and how she felt about President Tony Khan’s response to her diversity criticisms. Highlights can be found below.
How disappointed she was after reading Tony Khan’s tweet:
When I read the TK tweet, it was, not necessarily sent to me, but I got a text message saying, ‘Do not respond to him, it’s not worth it.’ At that time, I was already a little zooted because it was about to be New Year’s. I looked at it and I was like, ‘Wow, this is a lot.’ It was a lot to process to read between the lines. Then I saw the complete uproar about it and my first instinct was….’ughh,’ you know you turn your nose up at something? Ughh, what, why would you? You could have stopped right there and everything would have been Gucci. But to continue on? Dude. You still had enough character to promote the match? Dang. I couldn’t believe it. It went from that to disappointed.
Says she has received no apology, and doesn’t think she will:
To answer everybody’s question. No, there’s been no apology. There’s been no contact or anything and I don’t think there will be. I feel like, maybe he feels he said nothing wrong. At all. Maybe he felt he had to send out the performative people with their tweets trying to negate my own experience with their own experience because that’s exactly what it is because I’m sharing mine, then you come around to share yours in a way that you dig at me in the middle of it. How sincere is that? Would you have shared anything if I said nothing? Would you have spoken up about how wonderful it is in your spots? Diversity isn’t spots, sweetheart. Okay? It’s not. It’s performative at this point.
Clarifies her initial comments about diversity:
I know when those key words ‘diversity’ and ‘representation’ come out, things get a little shaky. People start to count the black people, the people of color. It’s not about numbers. If you truly listened to the actual episode, to the podcast, you would know that, if I’m speaking on diversity, of course I see the people around me. I’m not blind. I’m not color blind. I know the people who work there. I worked there. You have to deduce when you’re listening to someone. You have to know ‘oh, of course she’s not talking about numbers because she sees it. What is she talking about?’ It’s like there is no comprehension when people are listening. You’re just hearing. I was taught that active listening requires hearing and comprehension. You have to read between the lines. It has to be something other than surface deep when you’re invested in someone or when you’re listening to someone. You can’t just go off the rails and say, ‘Oh, this is exactly what she is talking about. This blank piece of paper, nothing underneath because there is no layers to diversity. There is inclusion and equity. It’s fine.’ No, there are layers to this. In my episode, I was talking about everyone, not just black people. When I say ‘my people,’ I mean, ‘my people.’ People I relate to. You look at me and yes, I am a black woman and that’s what I identify as because it’s easy for everyone else to digest. I am Abantian woman and part Portuguese. There are things about people that you don’t know so you automatically assume. You know what happens when you assume. Wanting more, truly wanting more, is not a crime. Everybody wants more. Wanting more diversity and representation, solid representation is not wrong and it does not negate anything that they are already doing. I’m pretty sure there are people in instances where you want more. Your job is great, you are being paid great, but you want more. Not to say that what’s been happening isn’t already fantastic, it’s just that you are seeing what is needed and you are asking for it. It’s not a crime to do so.
(H/T and transcribed by Fightful)