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So much has been said about women training in self-defense or the martial arts: Women are not as strong as men, they’re not mentally capable of winning, physically impossible, etc... The underlining message being that it is useless for women to train. Thus, we have another attempt by men to repress women back into their passive roles.
Should women train? — Yes! Will they become better suited to defend themselves? — Perhaps, perhaps not, but at least they’ll have some sort of foundation to work with. In any given street confrontation, the outcome is uncertain, regardless of gender. Therefore, if your training, reponse time or awareness can help you escape relatively unscathed, then its purpose is served.
The mental toughness of a woman should never be questioned. Men gringe when they think of things such as pregnancy, pms, breast cancer, etc... On average, very few people are prepared for the mental stress of an attack. Therefore, it’s not an accurate assertion to assume that women are passive thinkers who will simply lay down and surrender. Today, women are well educated, in better health and certainly capable of fending for themselves.
Women are as strong as men — perhaps, not physically, but as a gender that been scrutinized as inferior for centures, women have strength in their cause. Certainly, there are women who are stronger than some men, but the whole premises of self-defense is that strength is not the defining factor of a confrontation. Rather, knowledge and awareness.
I am not bought on the assertion that many women are so naive as to view themselves as “warriors.” On the contrary, with all the insecurities surrounding women in history, they are less likely to promote their ego. More likely, you’ll see a little girl in a mcdojo showing stints of flamboyance, but not so many women.
In conclusion, women can defend themselves and have done so for many years. There are numerous accounts of women thwarting their attackers. The difference today is not that they are learning self-defense techniques, but that they’ve made a choice not to be victimized.
Should women train? — Yes! Will they become better suited to defend themselves? — Perhaps, perhaps not, but at least they’ll have some sort of foundation to work with. In any given street confrontation, the outcome is uncertain, regardless of gender. Therefore, if your training, reponse time or awareness can help you escape relatively unscathed, then its purpose is served.
The mental toughness of a woman should never be questioned. Men gringe when they think of things such as pregnancy, pms, breast cancer, etc... On average, very few people are prepared for the mental stress of an attack. Therefore, it’s not an accurate assertion to assume that women are passive thinkers who will simply lay down and surrender. Today, women are well educated, in better health and certainly capable of fending for themselves.
Women are as strong as men — perhaps, not physically, but as a gender that been scrutinized as inferior for centures, women have strength in their cause. Certainly, there are women who are stronger than some men, but the whole premises of self-defense is that strength is not the defining factor of a confrontation. Rather, knowledge and awareness.
I am not bought on the assertion that many women are so naive as to view themselves as “warriors.” On the contrary, with all the insecurities surrounding women in history, they are less likely to promote their ego. More likely, you’ll see a little girl in a mcdojo showing stints of flamboyance, but not so many women.
In conclusion, women can defend themselves and have done so for many years. There are numerous accounts of women thwarting their attackers. The difference today is not that they are learning self-defense techniques, but that they’ve made a choice not to be victimized.
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