Gender Issue One

There isn't a lot of style in martial arts. When at Karate or Jiu-Jitsu, the attire is universally the standard, white gi. The only gender difference is that women all wear something like a tshirt or rashguard under the gi top. At Karate, men wear no shirt, and at Jiu-Jitsu a rashguard is optional.

There is nothing stylish, or fashionable, or provocative about this gear.

When the high-school Jiu-Jitsu club started up the standard outfit was shorts or sweatpants, and tshirts.

The guys clothing was fine, but the tshirts of the girls didn't really work very well. It wasn't an issue for the girls, but rather for the lads. The girls' tshirts were kinda tight, with thin material, and with low-scooped necks. That's just what girls' tshirts are like these days.

When grappling, you have to grab your partner. There is no option.

Wearing gis, everybody acts as if the person inside the lumpy, baggy suit has no gender at all. That didn't happen at the high-school club.

The girls were fine, and expected to be treated genderlessly. About half of the guys could do this with no problem.

The other half were doomed. They were so afraid of doing something inappropriate that it seriously effected their technique. Some blushed a lot.

I asked the girls to stick around after class for a short chat. I explained what was happening, and asked for ordinary, non-female shirts. They have all complied since.

The next day, the boys with the problem were visibly relieved.