Pure Curiosity: Shaun Ricker - A Professional Wrestler's Take on Censorship, Polarization and Gender Politics

When I first met professional wrestler Shaun Ricker, I had to confront my own ignorance. He was dating one of my best friends, and based on his career and appearance I thought he was probably a "bro," and she was just having some fun. He quickly surprised me by being very thoughtful, passionate and well informed. He was also very loving and respectful toward my friend while they were together, and I was glad my snap-assessment of him was wrong. When he commented on my instagram post (shown below), I thought he would make a really interesting guest for this podcast. I don't agree with everything he says, but I think it's important for us to hear opinions that don't match our own. Over the course of this podcast we discuss gender politics and dynamics, social and political polarization, dating, and body image.

When I first met Shaun Ricker, a professional wrestler, I had to confront my own ignorance. He was dating one of my best friends, and based on his career and appearance I thought he was probably a "bro," and she was just having some fun. He quickly surprised me by being very thoughtful, passionate and well informed. He was also very loving and respectful toward my friend while they were together, and I was glad my snap-assessment of him was wrong. When he commented on my instagram post (shown below), I thought he would make a really interesting guest for this podcast. I don't agree with everything he says, but I think it's important for us to hear opinions that don't match our own. Over the course of this podcast we discuss gender politics and dynamics, social and political polarization, dating, and body image. Shaun was a pleasure to talk to, and I hope you enjoy!

About Our Guest:

Shaun Ricker (a.k.a. Eli Drake) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to Impact Wrestling under the ring name Eli Drake. He is a former one-time Impact Global Champion and one-time TNA King of the Mountain Champion. Ricker appeared as a cast member on the TNT reality series The Hero, hosted by The Rock.

Read his complete Wikipedia Bio.

Follow Shaun on Instagram.

My instagram Post:

Image link: http://irismcalpin.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/hard-AF-300x300.png

My Caption - I can SO relate to this!!! I imagine most of you can too. Also curious to know if men feel pulled in a million directions just in different ways? Comment below if you have other examples!

Shaun's Response: I really do hate these “victim” posts no matter whose viewpoint it’s coming from, because they only divide us further (although you did a of job of bringing in men as well, but it goes beyond that). Not because these aren’t real things that people say, but because EVERYBODY has different struggles. Every single person, no matter what age or gender. And what these statements do is further divide us. It makes women go “YEAH! That’s right! Stop oppressing us!” And it makes men go, “wait a minute. I’ve never said that, but what about the fact that I need to have a Big dick, but not too big, I need to make X amount of money and drive X car to be attractive, I need to be Big and strong, but still sensitive, but not too skinny, and not too fat. And don’t be bald! Nobody likes a bald guy.” Of course I could go on and on. My point is that these things further divide us by causing resentment on both sides, because it makes the “victims” feel more emboldened in the idea that they uniquely face struggles, and it makes other groups feel that theirs are completely discounted. The struggles that different genders and races face are unique, but to struggle is not unique. Let’s not continue to divide ourselves by always creating a “victim” narrative. Take control of your own life. SELF-esteem comes from yourSELF and nowhere else! So have the confidence in yourself to be you, and not bend and adjust to every single opinion someone has. Then the victimhood and resentment goes away and those worthless opinions are devoid of any and all power.