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How WWE is Addressing Diversity and Inclusion
The topic of racial injustice came up in conversation in light of the recent murder of George Floyd, which resulted in nationwide protests.
Stephanie McMahon believes the company is taking this matter very seriously, from a corporate standpoint all the way to how performers and the audience feel.
She spoke on different initiatives WWE talent are involved in, including a website titled Culture Connection by Montez Ford and Bianca Belair, Kofi Kingston and Big E regularly wearing arm bands in solidarity, and Keith Lee wearing Black Lives Matter on his trunks. She also provided statistics on viewership from the African American audience.
WWE actually over indexes with out African American audience. 21% of audience is African American,SO we’ve utilized out platforms to amplify the messages of inclusion and standing against racism and racial injustice, we’ve amplified our talents voices, any number of talent who are doing a number of initiatives
40% of champions are African American, across all three brands. Representation is critical, also for women, we’ve have a whole women’s evolution, in our company, which had changed the way our company shows female performers.
From a corporate level WWE has different training initiatives, including unconscious bias training, and infinity groups. She feels that is not enough, and the company has hired a diversity and inclusion hiring agency to assist in recruiting
WWE corporately has unconscious bias training, we have infinity groups, that’s not enough, we do work with a diversity and inclusion recruiting agency.We’re taking a hard look and a different look from every level. We are absolutely taking this very seriously, as we should as everyone should,
You need to have it at level, employees, diversity is real, we need those voices heard and matter. All of these different experiences will bring us together to have the best possible company and society.
Following the change in a number of sport team names, including the Washington Redskins and Edmonton Eskimos. Stephanie McMahon was asked how WWE is handling racial stereotypes within the company.
She advised the company is welcome to feedback from wrestlers to assist in creating characters. She also admitted some African American talent have been vocal with situations that weren’t comfortable to them.
We are looking at everything, from a character perspective from a storyline perspective, from an employee perspective, We really are because representation matters. When we’re crafting characters in WWE, hey you’re going to be this character and that’s it. Our superstars have the opportunity to give the feedback, they help us craft the character. We have had instances where we had African American talent say this doesn’t feel good to me, this was pre-George Floyd. Those conversations happen. You can’t be afraid to have those conversations. You have to be willing to admit you might not know something.
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