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What does self defense for trans men look like?
Trans men have different self defense needs at different stages of transition
Facebook reminded me that, this time last year, we wrapped our first Self Defense for Trans Men course. Using our Level 1 self defense course as a starting point, we worked together with the participants in our course to develop a program that addressed the specific situations trans men face, during all phases of transition.
We covered topics from homophobia and transphobia on the streets and in public transportation, to territorial behavior over workout equipment and what happens in men’s locker rooms at the gym. And we dealt with what it means to talk to a woman at a bar and discover she has a possessive boyfriend ready to take it outside.
Not only was it loads of fun teaching them how to channel all their new testosterone, but also a fascinating exploration into gendered socialization and privilege, and the reasons why men fight other men, both from the perspectives of homophobia and territory/dominance, and how responses need to differ from a femme-presenting defense and a male-presenting defense.
From a self defense perspective, this was the only time I’ve found myself actually teaching people to fight back — something we are strictly against in our…
