Note - most letters are edited to de-personalise them, ie remove names and other identities.
Issue One:
From Mrs P. (Wales)
Female wrestlers won't necessarily want to wrestle in bed! It would be taking your work home! Women who watch women wrestling are either fascinated by the bizarre and rather unsavoury perverseness of the act (as I am) or are lesbians. Heterosexual men who are drawn to female wrestling get turned on by watching the perversion, just as they do by watching lesbians perform. All normal heterosexual males have this puzzling but normal reaction. I believe it has something to do with the often repressed need for female sexual dominance.1
You say that women in the audience watching male wrestlers get sexually excited. I think that is the same situation for men who watch female wrestling. As a woman I would say that male wrestling could turn one on because
a) they are almost naked and the wrestling holds often draw attention to the genitals.
b) there is a fascination about the obviously macho sport which nevertheless has associations with homosexuality about it.
One remembers the wrestling scene with Oliver Reed and Alan Bates in D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love.
However that is a far cry from what HEW looks for. There are no wrestling bouts between men and women.2 If there were, there would be top viewing for it. Everybody would be interested in that spectacle, me too! Nothing like a bit of erotica - often. I was riveted to that BBC soft porn series The Men's Room.
The scope of HEW is too narrow. It is not what it proposes, it is what it doesn't propose. Most women would wrestle with their man if it turned him on. When a woman loves a man, her sole aim is to make him happy. But she would expect the kinky games to be an enhancement to the real thing, not a substitute. There's the real kink - which is limiting choice to the point that the men end up so desperate and so frustrated that they'll accept any old bag in a skirt who says O.K.
HEW people should do both. Who knows, they may get hooked on conventional sex like everybody else.3
Editorial comments:
1. Religious and other authorities have a lot to answer for in insisting that men make all the action in sex. Of course by making the male lead, the female absolves herself of any responsibility for the act.
2. Not true - they do exist, but are very rare. They have been shown on US television as novelties, and videos are available from specialist wrestling dealers.
3. What couples do with relationships formed via HEW or with the material they read in it is up to them. Of course if they want to have HEW as a starter for ordinary sex then we don't mind - indeed it is none of our business. We aim to provide general wrestling knowledge so you don't hurt each other and other tips for healthy living, both mentally and physically.
As far as men who want HEW without ordinary sex, then the boot could be on the other foot. Imagine a woman who feels this way? Could she trust any man not to get carried away? If a man exists who feels like this, then surely the chances that similar women exist are not zero, as Mrs P seems to suggest.
Nevertheless, a relationship could start through HEW and graduate on to ordinary sex if both partners agree. After all, this is probably what happened to humans in the days when they were "living in the wild". Because of the stance taken by religious and other authorities in civilisation, people may get "arrested" at the HEW stage of their development, and develop no further. With an overpopulated world ravaged by sexually transmitted diseases, this can not be seen as a total curse.
From Mrs C. (East Anglia)
I have watched a good deal of wrestling in the past ... the "all beef and bollocks" bit naturally. My mother used to love the Saturday afternoon shows on ITV. I used to watch with my boyfriend too, and we used to try the odd hold. I have to say, though, it was usually the prelude to the rest.
The only bit of female wrestling I have on video is some mud wrestling on a pop video. This used to be a great turn on for my boyfriend. I am obviously a total novice in the field of HEW, but am relieved that the hitting and throwing side is not included. I couldn't actually imagine that as part of it, so I'm still hanging on in there as they say, still interested!
From Mr Ron Farrar (Ace Sports Promotions)
EuroSport wrestling on Satellite is not a female wrestling programme. But there are a few odd bouts. You could watch it for a month and miss them. It was the same on the old N.W.A. and the Global on ScreenSport - three a year type of thing.
Both went into W.C.W. and dropped the girls as indeed have all top promotions in the USA. A friend in Denver tells me that the all-girl show has just been dropped due to low ratings.1
The American Women Wrestling Federation tapes available from EuroSport by mail for �14 are also available from W.H. Smith & Son for �11. There are three in the series, two as yet are published.
Editorial Commentary:
1. TV ratings are determined by random samples, or "average families" having devices fitted to their sets to see what they watch. I should imagine that many people who would watch girl wrestling would not care to admit it, either to a market researcher or to a choice-recording television.
Indeed, wrestling itself has a sleazy image: my father loves boxing, the more blood and gore the better. But he sneers at wrestling. (Similarly he likes Rugby football, but not Association football. - The mind boggles as to what he'd say about HEW, but he is not above looking at page three of The Sun.)
From Mr J. (West Country)
One of my trips during the war (WW2) in India was down south to Chaibasa and beyond. I was told that if I had time I should take a day or two off and proceed to Puri where there was wonderful rough sea bathing. Again abandoning my Jeep at Bhadrai I think it was, I took a train. I enjoyed a wonderful few days there with indeed the very rough bathing. One needed to hire one's personal life guard to have any hope of surviving. There were very few people, and it was here that I met Catherine and her new husband; I suspect that they were finishing their honeymoon. Our time of departure coincided and they very kindly allowed me to share their reserved compartment on the return train. The guard was supposed to wake me up when we reached the place where I had left my Jeep, driver and servant. He did his bit alright but the train failed to stop though it did slow down. Quick thinking; We pushed my valise and other luggage out of the window, and then I leapt out as the train gathered speed. I rolled about a bit and was a bit bruised, but was otherwise unhurt. I then had to gather up my belongings scattered down the line and hunt for my retainers.
At the end of the year I was due some leave which I took in Calcutta from 3 Dec onwards. I stayed in my old "G" Mess at Eastern Command and spent much time with Chippie, Olga, Doris, Dennis and my other friends. I also often went to see my new friend Catherine at her flat in Chowringee where she ran her hair dressing business. She was a lovely lady but a good deal older than I, but she was very nice to me.
I was able to enjoy a few days in Calcutta, which included hiring my own Jeep and taking a party consisting of Dennis, Doris and her sister Eve, and Catherine for a picnic in the Botanical Gardens. We had a very good time including a scrimmage when the girls set upon Dennis and I; arms and legs flying in all directions. I cannot think what my driver can have thought of this unseemly behaviour by the Sahibs and Memsahibs! In the evening we went back to Catherine's flat where there was a good deal more scrimmaging. Apparently in the great pile of bodies with poor Doris at the bottom, I managed to hurt her, though I didn't know it until she told me many years later. On the 12th I left Calcutta for Ranchi, and this was the last time I saw many of my friends until our next meeting in the U.K. Catherine I never saw again.
Editorial Comment:
Who said HEW was new?! I don't know how much older Catherine was, but I should imagine that she could well have perished by now, given the dates involved.
From Mr Ron Farrar (Ace Sports Promotions)
Here is a real old time photo. In the 1930s in England Ivy Russell was the big name. She was a top pro-wrestler of the time. The photo shows her in practice with a male companion.
This and all of the pictures in Mr Farrar's articles are available from him. For details please see his advertisement feature in HEW 1. Some are in colour, and the detail is of course far better than the reproductions in the magazine.
Issue 2:
From Richard (Scotland)
I found the letters in HEW 2, page 9 from both Mrs P (Wales) and Mrs C (East Anglia) very interesting. From what they write they seem very lively and enquiring women.
I have a very loving girlfriend but she hasn't agreed to a wrestle yet, as she has never been interested in the sport, but I am working on her!
It seems to me that some form of physical "play-fighting" often appears in a male-female relationship, and quite early on. I well recall in my pubescent days seeing (and becoming very excited by), the well built girl next door and her boyfriend engage in an extended "boxing match" in her garden. It was done in a sporting and fun manner, but was spirited sparring nevertheless. No pain or damage, but surely arousing.
Basically, my girlfriend would agree with Mrs P's statement When a woman loves a man her sole aim is to make him happy. From my own experience, I'd say that statement should equally apply to the man. After all, it takes two to tango!
I'd also agree with Mrs P that such activities as the above, and HEW are an enhancement to the real thing. However my final thought is that they are, with mutual desire and cooperation, beneficial developments and can enliven and rejuvenate a couple's love life. They will necessarily spend more time in exploration of the new delights, and hours spent in this way are better than a few mechanical minutes. If the woman participates fully, it is more than likely that she will develop ideas of her own concerning, say physical location, role-playing, and "ringwear" or the lack of it!
All grist to one's mill, and all best wishes to the magazine.
Issue 3:
From Mr F. (Sussex)
I have a few thoughts which you might be interested in, as follows:
1. The title HEW is misleading since most of the content is about women's wrestling, not mixed, much of it is sporting, not sexual.
2. Heterosexual Erotic Wrestling is rather a dangerous title because it implies that your magazine is about some form of perversion.1
I would suggest you consider changing the title2 to something like Female Ring Sport or FERS. The content would be similar, except that you might include a section on boxing or Thai kick boxing to widen its appeal or even Greco-Roman wrestling. The would give you more subject matter and a larger potential clientele. The erotic section could be retained and expanded or otherwise according to demand.
You might even include a section on female strength athletes and call it The Iron Lady. This would be an eye-catching title as it is already known worldwide, and no one else is using it as far as I know.3
Editorial Comment.
1. If one considers that eroticism is something that should only be used to beget children, then this epithet would be accurate. However most civilised countries today have realised that eroticism can mean anything that gives pleasure via sexual reaction, and it has functions besides producing children.
2. HEW was initially intended to find partners for the many men who are sexually aroused by the idea of wrestling or being wrestled by women. In order to succeed it has to be of interest to women, but unfortunately there are few women readers, and few of them have sent in articles, and none have been particulary aimed at women. I had considered changing the title to Wrestling Fun.
3. I think the title exists as a political magazine.
From Mr M. (Glasgow)
I have some news that may be of interest to your readers: I reckon I have stumbled on a way to wrestle women!
I was reading a muscle magazine. In it was an article on a woman called Bernie Price, Women's Bodybuilding Champion. She looked imposing and really voluptuous, to put it mildly. Anyway, taking a chance I wrote to her, challenging her to put her muscles on the line and wrestle me. Incredibly within four days she replied, saying that she accepted the challenge. In turn she challenged me to travel down to her house where she's offering to wrestle he in her basement. I quote "a one to one nobody about, just you and me see who's more powerful". That's her own words.
Thinking this was a one-off, I wrote to another female bodybuilder, again challenging her to wrestle. She's accepted as well. I wrestle Bernie Price next week. After the match I'll do an article on it for HEW if you like. But you should let your readers know this is a very good way to get very powerful women to wrestle.
Issue 4:
From Mr F. (Sussex)
The anonymous article entitled On Clothing and Contrast in issue no 4 is on very shaky ground in suggesting that male domination in society is bolstered by wearing a pair of trousers. There have been, and still are, other cultures and societies which are still male dominated where men and women wear very similar clothing or none at all, as in primitive jungle tribes. Male domination has been, from time immemorial, due to greater physical size, strength and more aggressive behaviour.
The women's movement of the last
twenty years or so has seen women
pushing for equality with men in
most areas. Especially in the field
of sports and physical
development, women have been
competing as never before,
breaking down barriers which have
grown up since the beginning of
time.
The advances in the science of physical training, nutrition of food supplements, even drugs, have meant that women's natural disadvantages in terms of physique can be partially overcome. This trial led to an increased propensity to challenge the male in areas such as arm wrestling or full wrestling, as Mr M. has discovered in the case of Bernie Price. No doubt we shall hear about his humiliating defeat at her hands in due course.
My feelings are that mixed wrestling is potentially a very interesting sport, (as well as private sexual experience), but that it should be competitive and not an obvious "fix" as many such bouts are. It might even be an idea for the male to win now and then?
From Mr S. (Lincolnshire)
Here is some information for your readers who wish to advertise further for a wrestling friend. I submitted a message for ITV's new teletext penpals (371-388). In it I asked for a wrestling partner and the ad was accepted.
From Mr G. (Oxford)
I just want to let you know that I have received my first letter from a female HEW member. I wrote back to her and should be getting a reply real soon. Her letter made me quite happy because I was really giving up hope of being able to find a female wrestling partner. But thanks to HEW it worked. I think we are going to be great friends. There is one question which I would like to ask you. I live in Oxford and was wondering whether it is legal to start a "fun wrestling club" for male and female.
Comment: Basically I can see no objection, but I think you will find it difficult. There are obviously going to be problems if it is not done properly, and professional advice would be far too expensive. Maybe some of our other readers have some ideas, and would be willing to write an article for a future issue of HEW on forming a club. Any offers?
From Mr S. (West Country)
It's sad to think that HEW 6 may be the last. Perhaps it failed in its main aim - to find people partners, but nonetheless it provides some kind of forum for those of us (admittedly mostly male) who are fascinated by wrestling. In that sense it was unique and would be sadly missed by many of us subscribers. There was always the possibility, however small, that as a group we could hit on new ways of finding a wrestling partner. As individuals we might sometimes feel a bit isolated, but the HEW newsletter provided a sort of link with the outside world of other wrestling enthusiasts.
Issue 6:
From Mr G.W. (Box HM022, Bristol)
It will be a shame to see the demise of HEW.
Through Hew I've got a female penfriend in the States, arranged my first wrestling match with Béatrice Goffin, and joined the W.I.S.C.
I agree with Mr S in that not only is HEW unique, but that it helped us to stop feeling isolated.
Feeling that we should not let something like this die so easily, I'm giving an open invitation for any HEW members, either male or female, to write to me.
I wish Mr G. (Oxford) luck in starting a wrestling club. I hope that he'll be able to let me know how he gets on (I'll be glad to assist by joining!)
Perhaps Ms Bernie Price, after her match with Mr M. (Glasgow), would be willing to meet other in combat. I would have liked to discuss this possibility with her. I'd just need to get hold of her address!
Well, who knows. There may be such support from ourselves, that you won't be able to close down HEW after all.
From Mr Ron Farrar
Issue five was GREAT, what a realistic and sensible approach to everything depicted therein.
The piece on the views of REAL pro-wrestlers is so very accurate. I have met women in the cat fight (for videos) business and they put on an image of toughness etc and seek to be regarded as "stars" but let me assure you the real pros are just as you write. I am taking about Mitzi, Marje, Nancy Barton, all the BWA girls, Maria Rivoldi etc. They regard themselves as working women and completely fail to understand what all the "adoration" is all about.
As you say, some people may think all female accountants are sexy etc.
Very accurate and sensible.
I do hope that you don't finally decide to close after number six, the final number in the first volume. I would be a great shame. However I do understand your point, but hope things will change to alter your mind.
Comment-
Maybe we should re open as HEA - Heterosexual Erotic Accountancy? Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Maybe something will happen before issue six goes out that will enable HEW to continue. Even if it doesn't, I will keep the address list so that if a re-launch proves possible or desirable in the future the original subscribers will be the first to know. Undoubtedly there will be more on this elsewhere in this issue.
From Miss Mae (HF001)
Yes, I am the lovely American woman in your advert. I am now writing to you and I hope that you can help me. As I got my Hew 5 magazine, I looked on page 11 and I read what Mr G. (Oxford) had to say. He was talking about yours truly, me!
It made me happy but at the same time sad, because he and I have lost contact after I got his first letter to me. I wrote back to him twice and have not heard from him again. In fact, my last letter came back to me with a yellow sticker marked "Gone Away". What is so sad is that his letter to me was so nice and sweet, and he sounded that he liked me, I wanted so much to get to know him. So is there anything you can do to put us back in touch?
See, I have done well in the club. Not counting the one I lost, I still have nine more men that I write to. I really do enjoy HEW. I just love to write to all these English men!
Who knows, I might meet them one day. But for now I just enjoy writing to them.
But if nothing else, I thank you HEW for making it possible for me to get these contacts. If all the other American women were like me your HEW would be filled with "Female Contacts". Because I love wrestling and men that love wrestling also like to wrestle women!
(another letter)
I have got my ways, and I write to Lex Luger [a male US wrestler - ed] a lot and I get Lex to do things for me (relate to me on television). I'm having my fun with Lex at home! It's called "Having fun at home with someone away from home." I really enjoy myself!
If you were a famous person, what would get your attention?
What most interest you in a woman?
Do you like the honest, straightforward gutsy woman? Or the shy and timid woman?
Large, slim, fat? Favourite hair colour? What most attracts you to a woman? Eyes, etc
How would a woman capture your attention if you were a public figure? Are you easy to offend? Do dirty tricks offend you?
Are you curious? Is your life what you want it to be? Do you believe that life is what you make it? Are you a church member?
Are English people prudish? Or was I wrong?
[Answers please to HF001!]
Issue 7:
From Mr Ron Farrar (Ace Sports Promotions)
Thank you very much for the excellent HEW6 received yesterday. It was a really superb issue. You have balanced the contents nicely with a great mix of news, views and action. The new video people look interesting. I really do hope that HEW will continue. I am sure it will and I am certain that it ought to.
From Mr M. (Canada)
Thanks for your prompt reply to my letter and subscription to HEW. I confess to be a little disappointed with the contents. Most of the photos were of women wrestling and the quality left much to be desired. (I expect to produce a newsletter later this year on women athletes and related sports and am intending to try something similar using computer equipment. I shall purchase a 600 DPI laser printer and try to print photos (not from a video capture card) using Kodak CD-ROMs as the storage device. I have Aldus Photostyler to play with the photos on the CD's.)
It appears that the Bernie Price match was someone's fantasy. I've not met her, but those who have, have left me with the impression that she would have little interest in such shenanigans. Most women bodybuilders are not aggressive despite their appearance. Some, (refer to Muscle Mag International classified ads) make a business of wrestling and are very good at it. For example, one 20-year-old bodybuilder told me that a gym owner promised her $3000 per month if she joined his gym and wrestled men on the side.
My impression of professional women wrestlers is that many are Bisexual or Lesbian. One girl whom I knew quite well (she gave me the key to her house) wrestled under the name Taylor Maid for the American WWF and later as Terri Power for the LPWA where she became champion. The last time I saw her was in a motel room she was sharing with Reggie Bennett (AKA Cajun Queen in your magazine) in Arizona. I'm certain that she was bisexual and that was the basis for her interest in wrestling. I met many of the wrestlers in the group (LPWA) and about half were gay. Even a couple of male "managers" were gay. The most impressive of this group was Madusa Micelli, who actually participated in kick-boxing in Thailand (where she broke her nose) and clearly loved to fight. She was also very strong, having to hold herself back when competing against the more showy and less skilled competitors. (I once saw her lift a competitor over her head at arms length while practising.) I corresponded with her briefly and she is the only one I wish I had kept in contact with.
In Vancouver where I live, amateur wrestling for women is surprisingly active. (When I say amateur, I mean Olympic-style club and college/university wrestling.) For example, in December I attended a tournament in which 250 women participated and videotaped 2 hours worth of action.
The most aggressive group of women athletes I've seen are judo competitors. If you ever get an opportunity to attend a tournament, you will be surprised by the aggression displayed. (Many of the women entering the ranks of amateur wrestling are coming from judo.)
I have 1200+ videotapes. I also have 60+ laser discs, many of which are action films and have outstanding combat scenes. Additionally, the extremely large Chinese presence in this area has afforded me the opportunity to have access to Hong Kong action films on laser disc. I have made SVHS copies of several of these films and also have created a few SVHS tapes of excerpts of the best fighting (heterosexual) scenes from these films. I also have at least 100 tapes (many SVHS) of excerpts. I commonly travel 300-400 miles to attend events I suspect I might like. For example, in the next three months I expect to travel to Calgary, Alberta, to photograph and videotape a Fitness Canada contest (this is for women only), attend at least one judo tournament, one more wrestling tournament, hopefully one karate tournament, several bodybuilding contests (mostly in Washington and Oregon), and perhaps a couple of powerlifting contests. My friend from Los Angeles wants me to attend the world speedskating championships in Montana in February.