Narrated by Ted Miller
“We felt a heightened need for people to feel safe, and like they can take care of themselves and defend themselves and their loved ones.”
— Kai Leigha
Community Outreach,PFLAG Benton Franklin
Beartooth Aikido began offering free self-defense training classes last year for local people in the LGBTQIA+ community. Bruce Schmoetzer Sensei, chief instructor and dojocho, explained that they wanted to offer the classes as a way to be of service to the community, an essential component of Aikido. One of his senior students, Doug, was there to help demonstrate moves and techniques. Doug said that Aikido means the way of harmony, and one of the core principles of Aikido is a “way to bring world peace.” Doug hopes that they can train people on situational awareness, on how to handle confrontation, and most importantly, how not to get hurt.
Bruce Sensei worked with the local chapter of PFLAG to promote the workshop to the queer community. In their post, PFLAG Benton Franklin explained to their followers: “Safety 101 is an introduction to managing physical and emotional conflict using the principles of Aikido.”
The class was separated into three different sessions. The first was How to Relax Harder, next was How to Fall Down Safely, and third was How Not to Get Hit.
Participants practiced breathing techniques, methods to safely fall and roll away from an aggressor, and how to defend themselves if necessary. Of the dozen or so participants in the class, most said they were there because they personally have been harassed or felt unsafe. And it’s only getting worse.
One participant, Magpie, said, “We had an encounter relatively recently… there was sexual harassment occurring, a very clear position of being put in physical threat.”
Magpie said that wasn’t the first time that has happened to them. The ‘freeze response’ was something that they wanted to work on. So, they decided to sign up for the course.
Another participant, Nicole, explained that many members of class were also part of a mutual aid group. Nicole said they wanted to learn how to defend themselves, along with members of their community. They said, “I spend my time with people from vulnerable groups, and so we're more likely to get confronted in public. People are being more emboldened to publicly confront people that they don't like.” Nicole and their friend recently experienced sexual harassment in a local restaurant from a customer. They both felt like the man harassing them was looking for a fight. And he seemed to have an “itchy trigger finger.”
To take a class like this would help, Nicole said. “They kind of said it right at the very beginning… your first duty is to protect yourself and [your sparring] partner. I mean now, in the world, I think you need to protect yourself and those you're with, in situations where somebody is not giving you a choice, which is increasingly common.”
Kai Leigha, PFLAG Community Outreach Coordinator, said they are offering these classes in coordination with Beartooth Aikido because of the increase in violence and harassment members of LGBTQIA+ communities have been experiencing. “We felt a heightened need for people to feel safe, and like they can take care of themselves and defend themselves and their loved ones. Tri-Cities, especially, has just had such an increased rate of hate crimes and gay bashing; and it's just frustrating to see after what we've worked so hard for in the last decade.”
Kai Leigha is a proponent of fostering an inclusive and supportive community. But they also want their community to feel safe. “Events like this really are just telling examples of how queer people will continue to survive and build community, and also arm themselves.”
Kai Leigha said PFLAG has had an uptick in volunteers recently, and their community events bring in more people all the time. This class also means more than people learning how to defend themselves. Kai Leigha said, “We felt that it was really important to just give space, to hold space for queer people to get their frustrations out physically.”
Beartooth Aikido will continue to offer self-defense classes, and has already posted one on their April calendar: Safety 101 For the LGBTQIA+ Community https://www.beartoothaikido.com/baWPress/safety-101-seminar/
A lifelong resident of Eastern Washington, Dori enjoys the outdoors, her family, and making good trouble. She has worked for many years in broadcasting and reporting and believes in the value of the 4th estate. She is a true community advocate that loves Washington.
