Inside Bender Defenders, the self-defence class for queer people:
, a new street defence movement confronting rising hate crime against queer people . Running weekly, these sessions offer more than just self-defence techniques, they’re also designed to provide a sense of catharsis for attendees who might often feel under attack in the outside world. As coach Luca Giraldi, 31, tells me:"This can be your space to release anything that happened to you.
Clarisse, 31, a regular who has been boxing for several years, advocates the sport similarly."As queer people, we can often become detached from our bodies; they can become prisons," she says."Boxing can help you appreciate what your body can do for you and what it can take." Despite being a solo sport, fighters need immense support in the ring and training.
Cat and Luca are critical of martial arts spaces that set up LGBT+ classes without queer instructors. Unlike other queer boxing groups in the city, K.O's class always begins with a round-the-room sharing of pronouns -- safety, comfort, and acceptance must come first. As Luca puts it:"In order to provide something that is really unique, you have to have lived experience. You have to know what it's like to be queer and to really need a safe space.
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