WWE 2006: The Departure of Trish Stratus and Lita from the Pro Wrestling Industry

There is arguably no industry more controversial than the wrestling industry with its constant offerings of shocking and memorable moments. The industry, geared towards men, often treats women as eye candy, and rarely allows female workers to break free from that general role. During their time in the WWE, Trish Stratus and Lita have broken that mold and revolutionized the female role in the world of wrestling. Unfortunately, 2006 has marked the departure of not one, but both of the WWE's leading ladies.

Since her debut with the WWE in 2000, Trish Stratus has shown more development in both popularity and in ring ability than perhaps any other diva since. This might explain why Trish has, at the same time, outlasted many other divas in the WWE. Trish was one of the few female workers who possessed both beauty and talent, and this contributed to her overwhelming popularity and acceptance within the wrestling community who are often very critical of female workers who are used for more than eye candy. Trish raised the bar for other divas in the business, and helped paved the way for future female workers.

During her close to seven year tenure in the WWE, Trish Stratus has worked programs with other top female workers such as Molly Holly, Victoria, and Lita. She has contributed to the huge 2004 feud between Chris Jericho and Christian (Cage), and is also responsible for elevating Mickie James up the card and helping her make the transition into a credible female worker.

It was following the year long feud with Mickie James that rumors started circulating that Trish wasn't resigning her contract with the WWE. In late August, the story broke out on WWE.com that Trish Stratus was retiring from in ring competition, and on the August 28^th edition of RAW, it was "revealed" that it was Lita who was responsible for the "leak". The true story became a on screen storyline involving Trish and Lita who have already had a storied past in the WWE. The program was short, and came to a head less than a month later at the Unforgiven Pay-Per-View on September 17^th where Trish Stratus pinned Lita to win her seventh Women's Title in her final WWE match. The title was then vacated the next night on RAW.

Following a brief stint in the original and now defunct Extreme Championship Wrestling promotion, wrestling legend Dory Funk sent to the WWE tapes of a female wrestler known as Amy Dumas. Without even asking for a try out match, the WWE offered Dumas a contract, and from thereon in, she was known simply as "Lita".

After briefly managing luchadore Essa Rios, Lita made up the third member of Team Extreme, teaming with the Hardy Boyz. It was in Team Extreme that Lita became a favorite with the WWE fans, as she became one of the first female workers to show off an array of flashy high flying moves complementing the style of the popular Hardy Boyz team. Stemming from Team Extreme, Lita and Hardy brother Matt began a real life relationship outside of the ring. When Jeff Hardy was released from the WWE, Lita and Matt began working together as an on screen couple, where they eventually feuded with Kane.

Unfortunately, Lita's innovative wrestling style and contributions to the business will be forever scarred by her real life affair with her now ex-boyfriend's real life best friend, former WWE Champion Edge. When Matt Hardy learned of the affair, he spoke negatively of Lita on his personal website, leading to his release from the WWE. WWE fans, learning more details about the affair from Matt's website, began to make extremely derogative chants towards Lita and Edge, even though Lita was still supposed to be a "babyface" in the WWE. WWE writers had no choice but to turn Lita "heel", or bad, and align her with Edge. At the same time, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon had no choice but to eventually sign Matt Hardy back to the WWE after fans continuously chanted for him.

Lita's heel turn lasted until she retired in November. Rumors began circulating on dirt sheet websites about Lita's plans to leave the WWE to pursue a career in music with her band the Luchagors, but rumors then died down. As soon as it seemed Lita was staying with the company, she announced that her November 26^th Survivor Series match with Mickie James would be her last with the company, claiming she had nothing left to prove to the WWE fans.

To say that Lita's retirement match was less memorable than Trish's would be an understatement. Lita dropped her fourth Women's Title to Mickie James, and then newcomers Shad Ghaspard and JTG of "Cryme Tyme" made their way to the ring selling Lita's personal belongings out of a cardboard box to ringside fans. The tandem then proceeded to make derogatory comments about Lita, leading to her throwing a fit in the ring. It was learned through Lita's personal website that she was less than thrilled with her farewell match in the WWE, and wished it would've been handled better. Lita, however, is forgetting about her wrestling past and is looking forward to finding success in the music industry.

In an industry where women are constantly overlooked and degraded, WWE suffered a huge loss in the departures of two of their most popular and gifted female athletes. Trish Stratus and Lita have paved the way for future female workers and in the process falsified the belief that women had no place greater than eye candy within the wrestling industry.