Call for Papers
Professional Wrestling Studies Journal
Special Issue: Queer Studies and Professional Wrestling
Anticipated Publication: Volume 5, November 2025
Guest Editors: CarrieLynn D. Reinhard, Christopher J. Olson, and Hannah Steele
Purpose: Articles that explore the intersection of queer studies and professional wrestling studies to address a scholarship gap on the application of queer theory to explore professional wrestling individuals, texts, practices, and fandoms.
Submissions: Seeking empirical articles aligned with the special issue’s purpose that may include, but is not limited to, the following topics:
- Queer representation
- Queer narratives
- Queer fans and fanworks
- Queer performance
- Queer form
- Queer identity
- Queer baiting
- Camp, drag and pro-wrestling
- Corporate social responsibility and queer communities
- Professional wrestling as a queer space
We are also open to interviews with important queer pro-wrestlers and pro-wrestling professionals.
Deadlines:
- Abstract Proposals: September 1, 2024
- Decisions: October 1, 2024
- First Drafts: April 30, 2025
- Peer Reviews: June 30, 2025
- Final Drafts: October 1, 2025
- Publish: November 15, 2025
All abstracts should be sent to prowrestlingstudies@gmail.com with the subject header “Special Issue: Queer Pro Wrestling.” All submissions would be reviewed by the guest editors for appropriateness and alignment with the special issue topic. Submission abstracts should be between 250-500 words and discuss the topic and how it is approached.
All final articles will be in MLA style, in accordance with PWSJ guidelines. Articles will be no longer than 8000 words, inclusive of a 200-word abstract and reference list.
This would be followed by a peer-review process, a revision process, and final copyediting to prepare for publication. Thus, submission is not a guarantee of acceptance: the guest editors will work with the contributors to decide if the article could be included in the special issue or should be considered for the general journal.
Contact: Please contact CarrieLynn D. Reinhard (creinhard@dom.edu) with any questions.