"We can handle it" - Trish Stratus on a major backstage change made in WWE in the last few years

Trish Stratus is arguably the greatest female star of her generation, and one of the all-time greats in the history of the WWE Women's division. While a few of the superstars of the modern era are set to surpass her (with Charlotte Flair already doing so), the context and opportunities of this generation are far more than that of the past.

Stratus was one among many women who had to face several obstacles en route to greatness. It is no secret that up until 2015-16, WWE rarely took the women's division seriously.

However, Trish Stratus and Lita were the two faces of the division in the early 2000s and they influenced many of the current female stars today. On an appearance on The Bellas Podcast, Stratus revealed the effort that went into shaping the women's matches today and the obstacles that they faced:

“Of course, it’s collaborative efforts for sure. But I mean, it really was, it was a lane of groundwork. And from the beginning it was, it was everything from re-educating fans on what to expect from the female performer. It was the acceptance of the fans. It was the acceptance of the producers backstage for them to go ‘Okay, maybe we can give them this.’"

"You know, I remember one time, to have a hardcore match was like, was a big deal mostly because ‘I don’t think that they can handle it.’ ‘Well, why can’t we handle it, if they can handle it? We can handle it too,’” said Trish Stratus. (H/T WrestlingInc)

The women of WWE now have an equivalent of virtually everything. From a Hell in a Cell match, Royal Rumble match, Money in the Bank ladder match, to the most-recently-introduced Queen's Crown - the equivalent of King of The Ring.

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Would Trish Stratus have thrived as much in today's era?

It's safe to say that Trish Stratus could very well have thrived in today's era. However, it's hard to say if she would have been as decorated on paper, as the competition for top spots in the women's division is currently far more than it was back in the day.

WWE now has the world's best female superstars, and as we have seen, there are only top spots for a few women. The Four Horsewomen currently make up the most decorated group of female stars in the company's history, with a few other superstars making waves.

We got a tease of Stratus vs. the current generation when she had her second and final farewell match in a dream bout against Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019.