kickboxing

I initially got into kickboxing when my flatmate was raped. She was deeply affected by the experience for obvious reasons and wanted to learn self defence and become stronger. She wanted to go and I wanted to support her, we both trained for years and made strong connections with the group, making friends, attending competitions, going to Christmas and summer parties outside of training, and some of those friendships have lasted to this day. When I took a break for nearly 10 years, my mental and physical health suffered. After having a baby I took other classes but was never as fit and felt I would never be strong again. I suffered with back problems and post-natal anxiety since the birth and thought that was it. Eventually I found a women-only class where I thought I would be comfortable and ease into my return and build my fitness. The class was run by a lesbian, not that this was relevant, but she brought it up to explain that the class was just for women (and that some people thought she was a man from behind as she was, at her own description 'butch, with broad shoulders and short hair', so I felt comfortable attending. At the first class a man, who was a regular it appeared, arrived and I instantly clammed up. This person was very clearly a man with a female-sounding name and whilst I wouldn't be sparring with this person due to height (I'm 5ft1) it changed the atmosphere and class dynamic for me. I managed the first class but didn't return as I felt very anxious and uncomfortable. I was determined not to let this stop me but I needed to be more selective so the burden of research was on me to find a truly female-only class and I stopped and started several times. I did eventually find a club which has classes at a time and location that suited me and worked around work, childcare and my husband's work.

#unitedkingdom #womenssport #sport #kickboxing #recovery

mcdonalds bathrooms & verbal abuse

At my local McDonalds I was leaving the women's toilet as a girl was going in on her own. She was maybe 9 or 10, old enough to go to the toilet unaccompanied. As I was leaving a young man in a short skirt, heels and make up was approaching the women's toilet. The men's toilet was the opposite end of the corridor so I indicated that he was going in the wrong direction. He called me a bigoted bitch but did turn around to use the men's. I didn't want the little girl to come out and wash her hands only to find a 6 foot man next to her doing the same. For me, that was reason enough to say something.

#unitedkingdom #mcdonalds #bathrooms #verbalabuse #toilets

sexual harassment in bathroom

Although it was many years now, I was just a young girl, 16 or 17 I think. I went into a bathroom at a function I had been attending with my brother. It was late at night and there was what I thought was a female at the mirror. I didn't really look, just walked into the toilet stall and came out when finished.

While I was washing my hands, ‘she’ (clearly a man who was transitioning) approached me. He was probably in his 40's I think. He was extremely tall, much bigger than me and i was terrified. He stroked my hair and told me I had the most beautiful hair he had ever seen and continued to run his hand down my hair and down my back. I was utterly terrified because I knew it was a man and I was all alone and the toilets were at the back of the building. Iniitally I froze as I was so scared but then managed to run out as fast as I could, but I've never forgotten it. I should have felt safe, I shouldn't have been put in a position where I had to deal with that. I shouldn't have been put in a position where I didn't feel safe.

#australia #bathrooms #sexualharassment #unwantedadvances #fear #safety #toilets