Post by todrickramsey on Oct 22, 2022 22:48:26 GMT -5
Thank You, Chyna
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “The moment has finally arrived. Austin is holding my hand in the car as we approach The Velvet Rabbit Las Vegas. I noticed he took extra care not to argue with me today. He dodged topics that would cause an argument, like a Scorpion teleport on Mortal Kombat. I think he is more nervous about this appearance in front of the WSOW judges than I am. My husband is the bee's knees, and no one can convince me differently.
He knows he has to deal with the fallout if I don’t feel like it went well. Let’s be clear, I don’t know what they are going to ask me, but I’m going to give an answer from the heart. Guess it’s all exposed now since the MIL Network cameras are filming our every move for this new reality show about our lives. Austin, now that you heard me do you want to say something?”
Austin Ramsey: “WSOW is your thing; I’m just your driver tonight, Ma’am.”
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Well, aren’t you sweet? I don’t know what they are going to throw at me, but I know I’m ready, love. You gave me what I needed earlier, and you made me believe there is nothing I can’t do. I’m ready.”
Austin squeezes her hand as they pull into The Velvet Rabbit Las Vegas parking garage. He parks and gets out of the car and opens her car door, and helps her out of the vehicle. After he closes and locks the door, he takes her hand and leads her toward the elevator to go upstairs. The couple is silent as the doors open, and they step inside. Austin pushes the button for the floor listed in the instructions, and the elevator begins to go up.
He pulls his wife close and holds her. She listens to his heartbeat and slows her breathing so that they match. The thumps begin to match, and they are totally in synch. She feels totally connected to him and is at peace. When the elevator doors open, all she can feel and hear in her head is the Mortal Kombat theme. He gave her everything she needed to face whatever the judges threw her way.
He releases her hand, and her hips sway confidently as she approaches the panel. In her mind, she was Piper, her favorite Charmed One, and about to face the Elders. She was the special one and held the power, not them. Charmed was special to her; she loved the original and accepted the reboot, and fell in love with it. These judges were the Source, and she had to vanquish them. She and Austin were a new tag team, but this was solely about her. There was no power of two, so she had to face her opponents alone.
Tonight, she’d fight for everything she held dear and loved. Tonight, she was magical and was the one that was promised. She swallowed as she approached the table and the panel. She gave them a defiant look as she picked up her microphone and then took her seat. Austin sat in the corner of the room, but Todrick could feel him like Piper could feel Leo, and it bolstered her attitude.
Judge #1: “Good afternoon, Todrick. Our question to you is if you could fight anyone, alive or dead, real or fictional, on camera or off, who would you fight, and what would you say to them?”
Todrick slowly and gracefully nodded her head to acknowledge the question.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “I can say without hesitation that I would love to fight Joanie Marie “Chyna” Laurer in a wrestling match. You see, she was more than the Ninth Wonder of the world that WWE dubbed her as. She was one of the first representations of someone who looked different than the traditional mold for a confused child like me.
She was a woman, but they didn’t know how to present her except that she was one of the boys. Oh, when she started, Ms. Joanie was not a hero for a little gay boy like me. She was actually more confusing than anything. She was a woman who had all the mannish and muscular features. I did not connect with her at all. She represented what my sperm donor was trying to beat into me. Who was this boy/girl?
That question is funny because I am the modern-day Chyna. Who is this boy/girl they see on their screens? I haven’t had surgery, so how can I possibly call myself her and use her? Chyna had a surgery to look more feminine and never addressed it. Taking a page out of the book of my hero, I don’t have to address it. She opened so many doors for the LGBTQ+ community. She wasn’t trans, but she also opened that door because of the people that speculated she was a man.
Chyna fought the men and held her own. She was the first to break down barriers and fight for a men’s title and win. She was the first to fight in the Royal Rumble before there was a women’s Royal Rumble. She crawled so Beth Phoenix, Nia Jax, Nyla Rose, and then me could crawl, walk, and then run. If there were no Chyna, someone who dared to be herself when the world told her she was different, there would be no Todrick Tabor-Ramsey.
I would love to face the woman who paved the way in a match. I would love to let her know that she was a revolutionary before she knew that she was. I would love to let her know that she inspired me to let go of the notion that I couldn’t hold my own in the ring against CIS straight males, against muscular males, to break down walls and barriers and show the world that I deserve to be there because of my talent and not whom they thought I should be.
I’d love to face Chyna because she opened so many doors in the world of professional wrestling, and that needs to be honored. It needs to be celebrated. A match with her gives me the vibes of her match with Lita, where you knew she respected her, and it was a classic. Lita was the best in her own right, but she was facing Chyna. Some people say that Chyna was a man, and they hate when I face women in the ring. They say it isn’t fair.
Chyna handled it with dignity and grace. The same way Nyla Rose did, who are they to tell us whom we can face and what’s fair? Chyna never had the desire to fight for the Women’s Championship, but she did when forced. That moment taught me to persevere and stay in the story but do it your way.
Chyna faced the transgender rumors, but she never acknowledged them. I struggle with it daily, and my husband says it is fine, but I haven’t committed. Chyna showed me that it wasn’t a part of my wrestling career. That’s a personal choice, and I was still the person they built me up to be. Her surgery to look more feminine, as evidenced by her book, was her choice If I have the surgery, it’s my choice, and my husband supports it.
I would love to face Chyna so I can thank her for paving the way for so many CIS straight and trans women to be a part of the conversation in wrestling today. If there were no Chyna, I would never have been the Manhattan Champion in FIGHT! NYC. It was their number two title, and I won it against the manliest of men and defended it against all comers for several months. The underdog became the War Goddess.
My costumes grew and paid homage to my hero; for that reason, if I ever had the chance to share the ring with my idol and hero, Chyna, I would.”
Todrick wipes tears from her eyes. She stands up and holds her arm up in the air like Chyna did when she won the Intercontinental Championship from Chris Jericho. Todrick Tabor-Ramsey is a champion because Chyna walked, crawled, and ran to get her here. It would be an honor to have a match against her hero and trailblazer.