Bolivian women taking up lucha libre in response to violence from men

Meet the Fighting Cholitas, Bolivia's indigenous women wrestlers who are battling for gender equality

In Bolivia, cholita wrestlers are challenging stereotypes in skirts.

LA PAZ, Bolivia -- Polonia Ana Choque Silvestre, better known by her stage name of Carmen Rosa, was one of Bolivia's first female wrestlers.

At 49, she is a grandmother and unlike many scantily clad American female wrestlers, she competed in a pleated skirt, shawl and bowler hat with pigtail braids -- the signature outfit of "cholitas" -- indigenous Aymara and Quecha women who wear the signature cholita outfit.

Identifying as a cholita, she competed not just for sport, but for a cause -- fighting against machismo culture and violence against women that has been rampant in her country.

"Essentially the men didn’t want us to wrestle," said Rosa, better known as La Campoena: The Champion. "And also the women like us, our Aymara sisters said ‘why? This sport is for men.’"

https://abcnews.go.com/International/meet-fighting-cholitas-bolivias-indigenous-women-wrestlers-battling/story?id=67226755