Fighting for Recognition

Immensely readable and as vibrant in its energy as the subjects it seeks to present and understand, Fighting for Recognition focuses on young men who make their living in professional wrestling. . . . Highly recommended. All readers. -- E. J. Staurowsky * Choice * [A]n entertaining read that can be used in a sport or masculinities course, or any other context that explores the paradoxical aspects of identity construction. -- Brian Fair * Gender & Society * "Smith demonstrates the value of taking this subculture seriously; for a place where white, working-class men must always battle the fear of being seen as fake or soft offers us a truly powerful starting point for unpacking the tensions and internal contradictions of masculinity." -- Kyle Green * Men and Masculinities * "Smith has produced a highly readable and useful ethnography on the performance of independent professional wrestling. The book is invaluable to those working on performance and wrestling and develops theories of masculinity, physicality, and the labor of performance, which should find an audience even among those who might be less familiar with professional wrestling and its performance." -- Eero Laine * Theatre Journal * "This theoretically sophisticated, fine-grained study of the quotidian practices of the Indy wrestling circuit will be of interest to scholars of gender, sports, and U.S. culture. It is also accessibly written and an ideal length for use in undergraduate courses." -- Heather Levi * American Journal of Sociology * "By examining the bizarre and paradoxical world of this marginalised, quasi-sporting subculture, Smith produces an insightful account of contemporary, working class masculinity as a complex construct.... Fighting for Recognition is therefore sure to rank highly on the reading lists of scholars interested in men, combat sports and masculinity, and also fans of wrestling with an interest in what takes place behind the spectacular veneer of on-stage sports entertainment." -- Alex Channon * Gender & History * "In Fighting for Recognition, R. Tyson Smith crafts a sophisticated and readable ethnographic analysis of the experiences of the young men involved in independent ('indie') professional wrestling. . . . Researchers and instructors in sport studies, cultural studies, and performance studies will find significant value in Smith's analysis." -- Stacy L. Lorenz * Canadian Journal of Sociology * "Fighting for Recognition will be of particular interest for gender scholars and cultural sociologists. Intellectually challenging yet extremely accessible, this book would be a great option for both undergraduate and graduate courses." -- Bryan Snyder * Contemporary Sociology * "Smith does an excellent job articulating the draw of pro wrestling to young men and why, through all the pain and sacrifice, they continue. Smith is superb at describing and setting up a scene. The book transports a reader into the ring, eliciting the sights, sounds and smells of the world of wrestling. . . . Fighting for Recognition is accessible, offering palatable and engaging discussion of wrestling. As pro wrestling and other combat sports lack critical study, this book represents a needed contribution to the literature of sport sociology." -- Bruce Lee Hazelwood * International Review for the Sociology of Sport *

R. Tyson Smith is Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology at Brown University.

Acknowledgments ix Prologue xiii Introduction 1 1. The Indies 9 2. Fighting for a Pop: Wrestler Recognition 37 3. Passion Work: The Coordinated Production of Emotional Labor 62 4. "In Real Life I'm a Total Homophobe": Wrestlers Managing the Male Gaze 89 5. Pain in the Act 115 Conclusion 147 Appendix A. How It Began 155 Appendix B. Rage Wrestlers/Participants 167 Notes 171 References 197 Index 211