Wrestling between men and women can be a simple competition without subtext, or it can be fun and flirty foreplay. Although one might be more appropriate than the other in different situations, neither is really a right or wrong answer. What's most important -- as in any situation where men and women get physical -- is that everybody involved understands and agrees on what it's really about.
Wrestling History
Wrestling competition is so old it's mentioned in the Old Testament Bible and the Baghavad Gita, a collection of ancient stories and parables from the Hindu religion. Throughout most of wrestling's history, it has been a contest between male athletes. Wrestling as it's practiced today traces its history to Greek Pankration, which was practiced during the original Olympic games. During the 1990s, wrestling and grappling saw another evolution with the explosion of the popularity of mixed martial arts.
Women in Wrestling
There have been notable exceptions, but for the most part female involvement in wrestling -- either co-ed or against other women -- generally carried an element of sexual exhibition that male sport wrestling did not. Since the last half of the 20th century, increased involvement of women in competitive sports has begun to erode this situation, but as of 2011 it is by no means extinct. Competitive women wrestlers compete almost exclusively against other women, unless they're competing in such a small division that there aren't enough women to form a reasonably sized bracket.
Unfair Advantage
One challenge of woman-on-man play wrestling is that the man is at a distinct advantage. Men tend to be larger and to have a greater percentage of their body weight made up of lean muscle. Since size and strength are two of the most important attributes in a successful wrestler, this makes it hard for the woman to compete against men at a fair level.
The Elephant in the Room
Play wrestling between men and women can be fun, but it carries a distinctly sexual subtext. With very few exceptions, it's difficult to get intensely physical with somebody of the opposite sex without certain notions coming to the forefront of your consciousness. If you play wrestle in this way, it's best to make certain both participants understand what they think is going on. To avoid the communication because it might be uncomfortable risks somebody getting the wrong idea. In the absence of clear communication, poor outcomes might range from simple hurt feelings to potential trauma and criminal proceedings.
References
- "GURPS Martial Arts"; Peter Dell'Orto & Sean Punch; 2007
- Women Talk Soprts: Women's MMA & Pro Wrestling Part 2
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