ON THE EDGE: HEMA IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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Original Post: 5 Jul 2014

The views in this article are those of the author.

Perth, Western Australia, the second most isolated city on the planet. Here you can find the paradigm-busting black swans, and historical European martial arts. T-J Richardson tells her tale. 

I first got into HEMA around four years ago. A friend and I had always loved the idea of European sword fighting, mostly influenced by books (Tamora Pierce), family history, movies etc. We both thought only the UK, Europe and US had any real clubs, so we tried a bunch of martial arts, but never really settled.

Then my friend found this group. So we went and tried it. I loved it, we trained in a front yard with three guys, shinai and wasters and it was exactly what I was looking for. Full contact, technical, historical and modern at the same time. I did that once or twice a week for about six months, then both my parents became very ill and I had to stop.

After my Father got better and my Mother passed away I had some time and I needed to do something for myself, I really wanted to get fit as well so I decided to go back. I started back in September 2013. Best decision. I am the fittest I’ve ever been, I have found my true passion and it has done wonders for me on all levels. I would train every night if I could.

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When I began training there was only one other female fighter, Kim, and she was a cleared fighter with a few tournaments under her belt. Kim did a great job in making me feel welcome and giving me a hand to navigate the all-male scene.  In all honesty without Kim’s support and seeing how far she had gone I think I may have limited myself and just considered my training as a way to get fit, have fun, meet new people etc. (which seems a tad boring now I look back!) rather than setting my goal of becoming a competitive fighter. Once I decided that I wanted to compete I had to acknowledge what the playing field was: All men bar one, every single person taller than me, with more training.
I did some research into Women in the sport in Australia and spoke with some of the female non-combatants in our group, jumped online etc. and found not a lot.  Swordplay 2014 (Australia’s unofficial National Sword fighting competition) was also being discussed/planned at the time, that’s when I found out there were no female combatants last year as far as anyone can remember, I was a little shocked that attendance was that poor nationally. I expect it in Western Australia, we are isolated, behind the times and have a very small WMA community full stop. I was contacted by one of the SP14 organizer’s who is keen to have more women compete and a really good discussion ensued on Facebook including: the difficulties women face in western martial arts eg. Sir touch and feel, how to encourage more women to go to Queensland to compete and what training sessions would interest female fighters. That’s how I found Esfinges, one of the female fighters said join and I did, brilliant move!
While the scene here is limited it has been great to have support from within my group as well as from the complete other side of the country. On the flip side I have had to deal with some pretty blatant and not so blatant sexism in my group. One of the guilds is male only, I’ve made my distaste over this known in several ways. I was eventually invited to training but only as an associate, not a member. I found this patronising and while I went once I now choose not to go.

Despite a lot of training it took me six months, not the standard six to eight weeks, to get a clearance fight in the beginners class. Other male fighters who attended less training, had less experience, (are still not cleared to fight steel) and who had been there far less time were given clearance fights before me.

I considered leaving because I felt I had proven myself over and over again and was still not being given a clearance fight. It was suggested I should demand one but it irked me that the trainer still thought me not ready/skilled etc. and I don’t like begging, which was what it felt like.

I finally cleared in March 2014 against the national long sword champion and I kicked butt…well I had my arse handed to me but that’s kind of the point, rather I took it bloody well, kept getting back up and never stopped fighting! I put myself through two minutes of full contact, full intensity against some of the hardest seasoned fighters for four weeks in the lead up.

I did that for three reasons:  To prove to any doubter I was more than ready and twice as hard core as any other recruit; Proper preparation prevents poor performance; I am a little crazy, title of The Terrier suits me.
I feel I shouldn’t have had to do that (even though it will only make me a better fighter). I feel that I’ve had to prove myself twice as much in a lot of ways, especially in resilience, I feel I was held back from getting a clearance fight not because of a lack of skill but because somehow I’m more fragile or breakable as a female, physically and mentally.

I would like to say it was all great now I’m a fully fledged fighter but there are still a lot of barriers to break down. Some of the male fighters still like to treat me like a novice, some go too easy on me, some won’t acknowledge hits, some think I’m an easy target. My reactions are all to often compared to a males. All I can do is concentrate on developing my own style and practice, practice, practice.
My two main trainers are great, they take the time to consider the differences (as they do for each fighter in their groups) and find workarounds for me. They are always encouraging and even though they are volunteers they spend time outside training working on techniques for me. Neither has any qualms about pushing me to my limits, dumping me on my arse or grappling with me till we both have each other in a leg head lock stalemate. They only go easy on me when trying to show a technique and I’m under explicit orders to dump anyone who under estimates me on their arse…still working on that.
The women in the group, who are not all fighters, have been great towards me. I was paid the highest compliment by another female fighter the other day, she said she fights a little harder when I’m at training, I nearly cried!

Some male fighters have been less than accepting, some are just old and stuck in their ways like assuming I’m a butch lesbian, to which I responded “so what if I am nor not, how does that affect the ass kicking I’m about to give you?”.

Other male fighters think it’s great to have female fighters and encourage me to recruit more women, to which I respond it’s up to all of us to recruit men and women. Some women will respond to a female fighter recruiting, some won’t, I don’t give a crap I just want to fight people, male, female, purple people eater.

Most people outside of the club just go “huh?!? what’s that? is that like what they did in that movie Role Models”…at which point I wish I had my long sword.

After I explain I get asked “why on earth would you want to do that?!?”…still want my sword.

I often get asked if I’m allowed to fight the boys..yes, yes I am.

“But there were no female Knights” is a common response.

“Why don’t you fight in a dress?”.

I work with law enforcement and when I come in covered in bruises I often get asked if I need to talk to a professional about my domestic violence issue, I tell them they should see the other guy.

I have been called a dyke, and other worse names I won’t repeat, told I was un-feminine, called a crazy bitch, told I was too intimidating and asked to refrain from talking about fighting.

Speed dating is fun:

“So what’s your hobby?”

“..HEMA”

“…what?”

“…I hit people with swords”

“…oh, look times up see ya.”

“Sigh…”

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The most positive responses come from the fetes and fayres that I’ve done. The young girls love it and love to see the girls beat the boys. I often end up being the crowd favorite, I think it’s because I look like the under dog being 160cm short, which is about a foot shorter than the other fighters.

For any women out there reading this and thinking about taking up HEMA, I was going to say “Be prepared, ask questions, go watch a few training sessions” but that’s so….cautious, and caution will hold you back in HEMA and in learning.

If you’re interested in HEMA there is a reason – grab that with both hands and dive in head first, your reason might alter slightly, grow or change all together, so what – do it for you.

Original Post: http://esfinges1.wix.com/e/apps/blog/on-the-edge-hema-in-western-australia

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