Female Wrestler Fights Pregnancy Test Rule

Female Wrestler Fights Pregnancy Test Rule

POSTED: 2:35 pm PDT June 9, 2006


JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A professional wrestler claimed Friday that the state of Missouri is intruding on her privacy by requiring her to provide proof from her doctor that she is not pregnant within a week of every match.

Julie Utley also said pregnancy testing is too expensive for many women to continue participating in the sport. She estimated it would cost her at least $60 a month for tests.

The rule took effect in November and is part of state requirements for licensing contact sports such as professional boxing, wrestling and martial arts.

Utley, 19, said she has not wrestled since March, when she first became aware of the rule, because she refuses to submit to a pregnancy test.

more...
http://www.kcra.com/family/9349653/detail.html

I've never heard of her. Does she wrestle for Harley Race's promotion?

of respect for women's ability to manager their own careers and lives. I hope this is being challenged in court.

By forcing female wrestlers to prove they're not pregnant before every match, the organizers are basically saying, "We don't think you're smart enough to understand that wrestling while pregnant is a bad idea."

Yeah, I'm sure the first thing a woman wants to do after finding out she's pregnant is to jump in the ring and wrestle. :eyes:

Because you know damn well that if a "fetus" was injured or miscarried because of a 'preventable' wrestling or work related injury, then the Christian right and "Right to Life" crowd would be all over it.

I don't agree with the policy, but in todays heightened fear atmosphere, I can understand the 'cover your ass' attitude.

I see the policy as a pre-emptive or pre-stike measure.

This is all part and parcel of the self righteous, anti-choice, morality crowd.

They want to legislate women's bodies.
They want to legislate proper gender rolls.
They want to enforce their own moral beliefs on others.

This is not a liability issue. It's a religion and control issue.

This is all part and parcel of the self righteous, anti-choice, morality crowd.

They want to legislate women's bodies.
They want to legislate proper gender rolls.
They want to enforce their own moral beliefs on others.

Certain unnamed "Right to Life" or Christan organizations? Yes, without a doubt.

A womens wrestling league? Maybe in part with your assessment, but that would seem a bit out of line or logic when you consider that the religious right types probably consider a woman wrestling to begin with an aberration.

From a business and/or liability viewpoint... I can practically guarantee you that somewhere along the line that if the league (or whatever it is), didn't take precautionary measures, and knowingly allowed a pregnant woman to engage in an activity that could be harmful to the health of her fetus (resulting in miscarriage or birth defects), some parasitic TV ad law firm or lawyer would be on it like stink on shit.

you sign away your life so thoroughly that I doubt they'd have a legal case if a "competitor" was pregnant and harmed a fetus.

that a young woman who needs money desperately would endanger her baby by continuing to wrestle.

BTW, I was watching an Women's NCAA Tournament game between Louisville and Vanderbilt. It turns out that, a couple of years ago, one of the Louisville players was playing ball while being eight months pregnant.

indiscretions besides fornication.....just sayin'

OTOH, some physicians take a patient's self-reported medical history as gospel. Most times they're lucky nothing happens, and if not, oh well, patient lied.