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Full-Text Articles in Sports Communication
Suplexing Silence: A Media Analysis Of Sexual Misconduct In Pro Wrestling’S #Speakingout, Tommy W. Mccardle
Suplexing Silence: A Media Analysis Of Sexual Misconduct In Pro Wrestling’S #Speakingout, Tommy W. Mccardle
Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations
The 2020 #SpeakingOut movement marked a pivotal moment in professional wrestling, as survivors of sexual misconduct publicly challenged longstanding industry norms surrounding power, silence, and accountability. This study employs thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to examine how survivor narratives and organizational responses constructed competing meanings during the height of the movement between June 1 and August 31, 2020. Drawing from publicly available posts on X (formerly Twitter) and official company statements, the analysis explores how discourse functioned as a site of both resistance and institutional preservation. Inductive analysis of survivor narratives produced three primary themes: Abuse of Power, The …