http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/09/us/transgender-fighter/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Interesting. I don't see any unfair advantages at all. Why? No matter the gender, a MAist is suppose to know how to defend against whomever and wherever.

I agree with you except there is a sport involved. Men generally carry more muscle. There are seperate men's and women's leagues for a reason

With the hormone therapy involved, she has no advantages over other women.

Also LOL at the "tie clinch."

This is my concern. We learn the MA for many reasons, one being to be able to defend oneself. Having said that, sport or not, one better know how to protect oneself from whomever, whether it be a man or a woman.

I don't care if there's hormone therapy or not because the MA is suppose to teach a plethora of tactics and the like so that one can protect themselves. I truly desire that they'd stop separating the women from the men. Otherwise, why are we teaching the MA to either sex.

Learn how to stop the attack in the most effective and efficient way. Having the sexes compete against each other is about as close as it's going to be on the street. The defender can't choose their attacker and then say...."Wait, I'm a women and you're a man, you can't attack me, you can only attack another man."

I do understand the reasons as to why the women and the men are separated in sport type competitions, and because I understand the rhyme and the reasons, I still have difficulty when MAists imply directly/indirectly that women are the weaker sex.

NO!! If you're a women or a man in Shindokan you will be treated not as a women/man, but only as a STUDENT!! Women will mix it up with men everyday when they're on the floor.

Shugyo...suck it up!! This applies to both sexes when they're on a Shindokan floor, especially my floor.

Edited March 10, 201313 yr by sensei8

Two of the Sempai at our club are Women, they are treated with respect. One of them can kick much harder than me, not because she's stronger; it's because here technique is better.

How do you feel about separating into weight classes? Even within male/female groups, in competition most fighting sports also separate by weight class.

I'm the same way concerning weight classes. I don't like it for the same reasons as I've spoken about separating men and women.

Imho, what are we truly preparing our students for and will they be truly prepared?

I think that defending oneself and going toe to toe in the ring for a match are two very different things.

I am a small woman. I could defend myself against a larger man. I could not go toe to toe against one in the ring. In the street there are no rules, the goal is to get out of the situation as fast as possible. In the ring the rule-set is completely different.

Comparing the two and saying if you can do one you should be able to do the other is comparing apples to oranges. That's like saying if you can box you should be successful in an Olympic sparring competition. Two completely different situations with two completely different sets of rules.

I think that defending oneself and going toe to toe in the ring for a match are two very different things.

I am a small woman. I could defend myself against a larger man. I could not go toe to toe against one in the ring. In the street there are no rules, the goal is to get out of the situation as fast as possible. In the ring the rule-set is completely different.

Comparing the two and saying if you can do one you should be able to do the other is comparing apples to oranges. That's like saying if you can box you should be successful in an Olympic sparring competition. Two completely different situations with two completely different sets of rules.

Oh...Solid post!!