Women in the Martial Arts

As a Karate ShoDan, I'm responsible for instructing a diverse student body. I work with quite a few women and girls at the dojo, so I was looking for a book with insights into what makes them tick as martial artists. I ran across "Women in the Martial Arts," and it was helpful. Of course, I don't claim to have achieved a profound level of insight into the female condition. But I'd like to think I'm less ignorant now than I was before reading it. This book is a collection of essays by high-ranking women from various styles. Some of them document their personal journey though the martial arts. It was disturbing that a few had experienced physical and emotional damage from abuse and other acts of violence. As a result, they were looking for a path to empowerment, and thus discovered Tai Chi, Aikido, or another fighting style. Just showing up to class was an act of courage for a couple of them. And even those women without a lot of baggage had to overcome a particular hang-up, such as body acceptance or dealing with men in a physical manner. But despite some struggles, they were able to heal and grow while gaining mastery in their particular art. I found these autobiographical segments to be inspirational. Other writers focused on general aspects of the martial arts. For example, one instructor wrote about developing the senses in order to avoid surprise attack. Others expounded on the dynamics of women teaching women, the meaning of the black belt, and even martial arts for the disabled (written by a woman who practices and teaches Karate and Aikido out of a wheelchair). Regardless of their slant, I was fascinated by how they came to terms with a feminine perspective towards the martial arts. Some of the women had to overcome what they felt was a female predisposition towards passivity, especially when dealing with male students. Others believed that the only way to succeed was by imitating male rigidity and aggressiveness. Either way, once they discovered their power, they often became the terrors of their dojo! At that point, they had to abandon their preconceptions and achieve a uniquely feminine balance of flexibility and ferocity, both internally and externally. Some readers, especially male ones, may struggle with the feminist vibe of "Women in the Martial Arts." Indeed, many of the authors began practicing martial arts as part of their participation in the Women's Movement during the 1970s (the book was published in 1992). So there's a definite "female power" thread throughout these essays. This made me wonder if the younger women in my class had different reasons for joining, along with post feminist attitudes towards their practice. Still, there are good insights within this book for any martial artist, regardless of gender.