A common experience for Kendo women?

[JByrd]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?

[Lone Kitten]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?

come on... this really isn't a nice thread. There are lots of girly girls who do kendo. plz don't be so narrow minded. You don't have to fit a certain mold to do kendo. u have been warned

[Ignatz]

u have been warned
Hope that is a joke and you just forgot the smily face thingy.:calm:

[Lone Kitten]

Hope that is a joke and you just forgot the smily face thingy.:calm:

i joke not:tired:

[Omnis]

Relax, kitten. He's not saying every female kendoka is a leather-strapping, metal-clad buzzcut interstate biker queen...

[Neil Gendzwill]

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[Ignatz]

i joke not:tired:
That is really a shame. To seriously respond in that way to JByrd's post makes me concerned. If you have plonk power it should be removed.

I don't think your response was very nice and is very, very narrow minded. My wife could climb trees with the best of them and looked great to me dressed to the nines or in jeans. Lighten up.

[Lone Kitten]

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

damn... so my latex biker gear isn't appropriate then?

[Lone Kitten]

hey come on... i was teasing.. could u not tell by m response to your fisrt post?

[Solinde]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?
Why? Only very few of us have started kendo as children, so why should the kendo affect our childhoods?

[Naginatagirl]

Hm. I wasn't treated as a tomboy, I was a tomboy. I wasn't given a hair cut, I asked for it. Long hair gets in the way when you're a kid. Granted...I ended up growing my hair to my hips and now own more skirts than pants. Got sick of short hair and shorts. Then naginata came and the hair was way too inconvient. Chop. Then kendo came and I grew it out a bit again.

I think there's a difference between being a tomboy (i.e. sporty and active) and being an "interstate biker queen" (though that's cool too). I just never had the patience for hopscotch when there was a soccer game going on. sorry ;P

[Ignatz]

Sorry, that's why I asked.
And latex is sooooooo last millenium.

[Lone Kitten]

my mood is v hard to read

[stephanie dee]

I am a complete mismatch at the best of times, so I have to be ackward and be both. As a child I always had long blonde hair, played with Barbies, loved children and all that. But I also used to climb trees, play football, fight with the lads...

As i've grown up I am still cnsidered very girly, but not a "girly girl". I think I kinda summed myself up when I went on an Army trip a few years ago, in which I volenteered to run the assualt course first and on my own. I feel off the 6ft wall, and cursed very loudly, not because I had bust my nose, but becasue my mascara was running. Yes, I insisted in wearing makeup for the whole time. Man I was gutted.

Hm, I'm not a girly girl, but not a tomboy either. I'm in the middle and always have been. I won't leave the house without makeup, I cleanse tone and mosturise every day, yet I want to drive a Motorbike and fight with the lads. And i;ve never had short hair.

[Ignatz]

my mood is v hard to read
I think I posted this on another thread but it bears repeating.
A guy is walking on the beach and finds a lamp. He, of course, rubs it and don't you know, out comes a genie.
The genie says, "I'll give you one wish and if it is possible will grant it"
The guy says, "I like Hawaii but i don't like flying or boats. I would like you to build a bridge from california to Hawaii so I can drive there."
The genie says, "Impossible. Think of something else"
"OK " says the guy, "How about making it so I can understand women"
"How many lanes do you want on the bridge?" says the genie.

[runsyi]

Pish, gender is a social construct anyway.

[Paikea]

Pish, gender is a social construct anyway.Posh, biochemistry. Evil protien compounds with twisty, hard to spell names.

[Paikea]

come on... this really isn't a nice thread. There are lots of girly girls who do kendo. plz don't be so narrow minded. You don't have to fit a certain mold to do kendo. u have been warnedIf you had ever met Jon, you'd know what a silly assumption this is.

[Ignatz]

Pish, gender is a social construct anyway.
Pish posh I was taking a bath. The new milenium calls for quadrasexuals-men, women, animals and machines.:rolleyes:

I, unfortunately and quite stuck in the last milenium (except for the latex part, and some other stuff) but I say:
Viva la differance!!

[Paikea]

Pish posh I was taking a bath. The new milenium calls for quadrasexuals-men, women, animals and machines.:rolleyes:

Oh, John...


Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Oh, Canada...


I, unfortunately and quite stuck in the last milenium (except for the latex part, and some other stuff) but I say:
Viva la differance!!If you can teach me something, I don't give a damn who your girlfriend/boyfriend is. Especially if you are buying the beers.

[JByrd]

come on... this really isn't a nice thread. There are lots of girly girls who do kendo. plz don't be so narrow minded. You don't have to fit a certain mold to do kendo. u have been warned

Oops, I really didn't mean to be mean.:shocked:

I heard the women at my club talking about how they manage short or long hair inside their men. One commented about how her parents cut her hair short as a kid, and she hated it because she was mistaken for a boy. The other two looked surprised and said their parents had done the exact same thing to them! It seemed very strange that all three had the same experience, so I was looking for a broader sample of Kendo women, that's all.

As Omoto Sensei says, "Anyone who holds a shinai is my friend." Male, female, tomboy, girly girl, all of them!

[runsyi]

Oops, I really didn't mean to be mean.:shocked:

I heard the women at my club talking about how they manage short or long hair inside their men. One commented about how her parents cut her hair short as a kid, and she hated it because she was mistaken for a boy. The other two looked surprised and said their parents had done the exact same thing to them! It seemed very strange that all three had the same experience, so I was looking for a broader sample of Kendo women, that's all.

As Omoto Sensei says, "Anyone who holds a shinai is my friend." Male, female, tomboy, girly girl, all of them!

I didn't think you were mean at all.

BTW, from the ages 3-6 my parents cut my hair really short too. But they dressed me in dresses and pastelly t-shirts so I never had a problem being mistaken for a boy.

[Paikea]

I didn't think you were mean at all.

BTW, from the ages 3-6 my parents cut my hair really short too. But they dressed me in dresses and pastelly t-shirts so I never had a problem being mistaken for a boy.Then there's that "rapelling in a fritz helmet" picture. Air Force JROTC?

[runsyi]

Then there's that "rapelling in a fritz helmet" picture. Air Force JROTC?

Well I do drive a Subaru, you know. Yup, AFJROTC.

[Paikea]

Well I do drive a Subaru, you know. Yup, AFJROTC.Did you get a white scarf after you took your ASVAB and did they make you drink tea with the pinkie finger extended? :eek:

[runsyi]

Did you get a white scarf after you took your ASVAB and did they make you drink tea with the pinkie finger extended? :eek:

Naw, I got the ascot when I started doing drill team and color guard. No tea for us, we like our Americanos.

[samurai999]

Well I do drive a Subaru FORESTER, you know. Yup, AFJROTC.

Fixed.....

[T.Lee]

tim drives a subaru too.

(lets see how long it takes for him to fix this....)

[Paikea]

tim drives a subaru too.

(lets see how long it takes for him to fix this....)I noticed he was trying hard to make some kind of distinction between different makes of Subaru, yeah.

[Alison2805]

Hey, its funny you bring up the short hair thing - I always had my hair really short as a kid (not out of chioce), and was very much a tomboy. I used to cry when I had to wear a dress and I would get mistaken for a boy even until I was 17.

Perhaps this is a relatively common trait, Ill ask around the girls here and let you know.

[Mugu]

okay, this thread makes me feel completely warm and fuzzy... up till the last year of high school, I've always been a tomboy. You should really see my high school pictures... I can't even look at them myself now, lol

I grew up playing robots, dragon ball z, and play Ninja with boys. I think it has a lot to do with my oldest brother. He was the one who took me out to play when I was tiny. And then as I got older, my other two brothers took me to places and hung around with them the most as I was growing up. All of my sisters are mean and we never hang out together... and we still don't hang out. It'd be a miracle that me and my sisters sit together and walk away without a stupid argument. I think that's why I'm more tomboy. It has a lot to do with the people you grew up with.

And yes, I still like my hair short despite of my boyfriend's non-stop complaints about that.

[Kat]

Oops, I really didn't mean to be mean.:shocked:

I heard the women at my club talking about how they manage short or long hair inside their men. One commented about how her parents cut her hair short as a kid, and she hated it because she was mistaken for a boy. The other two looked surprised and said their parents had done the exact same thing to them! It seemed very strange that all three had the same experience, so I was looking for a broader sample of Kendo women, that's all.

As Omoto Sensei says, "Anyone who holds a shinai is my friend." Male, female, tomboy, girly girl, all of them!

As a kid I always had long hair, always wore dresses and played the piano. All of the 8-10 women we have at my club have long flowing hair. (don't know if that was the case when they were younger though) May be this "girls with tomboy haircut" isn't a kendo women thing, may be it's an Idaho thing. :mad2:

[NorthernKendoka]

There is an other side to this thread, the abnormal amount of guys with long hair (like myself) in kendo. Or is it just like that in my dojo and the neighbouring ones.

[Solinde]

Or is it just like that in my dojo and the neighbouring ones.
Yeah, short-haired girls is an Idaho thing and long-haired boys is a Norrland thing. Glad we got that sorted. :silly:

[JByrd]

May be this "girls with tomboy haircut" isn't a kendo women thing, may be it's an Idaho thing. :mad2:

Maybe so, but one of the women grew up in Hawaii. I grew up with two brothers, so I have no idea what kinds of things parents do to their little girls, and how it makes them feel.

I wonder if some kind of early introduction to the world of boys prepares women to deal with situations that tend to be largely the domain of men, like Kendo.

I think maybe I'm treading on thin ice a little, but I don't want to stereotype or pigeonhole anyone, I'm just trying to learn (a bad habit I picked up in college).

[Ignatz]

. . .I wonder if some kind of early introduction to the world of boys prepares women to deal with situations that tend to be largely the domain of men, like Kendo. . .
Where you wear a dress.

[Soja_Rain]

Well I haven't started my Toyama Ryu yet but if my thoughts are still welcome...

I've always been labeled a "tom-boy." From an early age my family always had horses so I was raised pretty much bareback and barefoot on a farm. There would be literal dirt rings in the tub each night after a bath or shower. I've always worked "male" dominated jobs also. In answer to the question about hair though, my hair has always been long. Generally "butt cheek" lenght. Currently though its just halfway down my back. I cut it off up to my ears 3 years ago and donated it to "Locks of Love." http://www.locksoflove.org/

So I'm looking forward to it being back to its usual long lenght. :silly:


-Soja

[tantadi]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?
Not me. Don't know how the other women I know in kendo were raised, but they aren't less feminine than the rest of the female population as far as I can see.

[Kat]

Maybe so, but one of the women grew up in Hawaii. I grew up with two brothers, so I have no idea what kinds of things parents do to their little girls, and how it makes them feel.

I wonder if some kind of early introduction to the world of boys prepares women to deal with situations that tend to be largely the domain of men, like Kendo.

I think maybe I'm treading on thin ice a little, but I don't want to stereotype or pigeonhole anyone, I'm just trying to learn (a bad habit I picked up in college).
Hahaha...

Jonathan, I think that my Idaho comment came out a little spicier than I intended to. I do think that you are treading on thin ice, but it's apparent that you are not trying to be chauvinistic, so it's all cool.

Like I said, although I was the quintessential "girly girl" growing up and I played no sports till I started kendo 8 years ago, and my parents didn't give me a tomboy haircut, I never had a problem with the testestrone levels at any of the dojos that I'd been to. For the first three years of my career I worked on the trading floor of one of the largest investment banks in US - if there ever was a workplace that was "dominated by men", this was it. I never had a problem dealing with situations there either.

So may be women don't need "introduction" to the world of boys or men. May be we just go in and be ourselves and don't need to worry about "dealing with situations in men's domain".

[JByrd]

For the first three years of my career I worked on the trading floor of one of the largest investment banks in US - if there ever was a workplace that was "dominated by men", this was it. I never had a problem dealing with situations there either.

So may be women don't need "introduction" to the world of boys or men. May be we just go in and be ourselves and don't need to worry about "dealing with situations in men's domain".

Thanks for your input, Kat.

I think you must be an extraordinary person to feel comfortable and be yourself in such a situation. From what I've seen, some of those "old boy" workplaces can be pretty hostile. I know that when I am in a stressful or hostile situation, I become a meaner, more aggressive version of my usually sweet self. ;)

One of the founders of my club is a feminine and highly culturally refined woman without a bit of tomboy in her. She no longer practices with us (returned to Japan), but she had no problem doing keiko with the big bruisers in my club who outweighed her by 100 pounds, and no problem commanding their respect, either. She never seemed to be anything but her normal self, but I think she is an extraordinary person, too. I always got a kick out of doing kata with her. If you were shidachi to her uchidachi, you had better make the right move or she'd hit you! Coincidentally, her name is Kat(sumi).

[Ignatz]

. . . All of the 8-10 women we have at my club have long flowing hair. . . .
And they are all serious hotties and major league kendo players, especially the "Killer Bees".
You can take my word for it.

[runsyi]

Fixed.....

I still say you're a lesbian trapped in a man's body.

[ne0r]

Hey, I was once mistaken for a girl ;D mwaha, the guy has only seen me from the back so my long hair (male kendoka mould) had deceived him..

;D

Hmm... The girls at my dojo seem all pretty girly to me.. and they're pretty pretty, too!

[Kitsune]

Pish, gender is a social construct anyway.

Well, not exactly. You have the idea thou... Gender is a biological construct, but the way the genders have to behave in society is the social construct. We are determinated by our sexes since we have six weeks on the uterus, but the how must be that behaviour is something we learns since we are born.

Now, about the question, I was a tomboy when I was a lil girl. Like playing with my boys and being bored around girls and dolls. I used to like playing football too.

[Razeasha]

I've almost always had long hair, but I was a tomboy...I guess...I always beat up the boys...but I clean up real nice, so someone who met me on the street would never know! ^_^

[Dragon Ninja]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?


never. I was known as a tomboy because of my love for martial arts, but I was always clearly known as a girl. Never had short hair ever.

[rottunpunk]

ive always had long hair. and liked pink at one point too. and i got forced to wear skirts
but i was always a tomboy. eg. prefered playing with guns and swords than dolls.
tried brownies but it scared me, so i did judo instead. :D
how about yourself?
:p

[GreenArrow]

ive always had long hair. and liked pink at one point too. and i got forced to wear skirts
but i was always a tomboy. eg. prefered playing with guns and swords than dolls.
tried brownies but it scared me, so i did judo instead. :D
how about yourself?
:p

Sounds familiar. My mother always wanted me to look pretty and dispaired when I played out with the boys and got all muddy and wet. The boys always had the fun, the girls had to do boring stuff with cooking and kids and stuff...

These days I work in a male-orientated world so it's not really an issue. OK, so I can wear makeup and can look girly and have (just about) trained myself to walk in high heels, but why bother, I am what I am. I wear what's appropriate for the circumstances these days...

[Firebird]

ive always had long hair. and liked pink at one point too. and i got forced to wear skirts
but i was always a tomboy. eg. prefered playing with guns and swords than dolls.
tried brownies but it scared me, so i did judo instead. :D
how about yourself?
:p

Your so lucky! My mom made me go to Brownies. So horrible! It would have been cool to try out boyscouts though, they teach you all that cool stuff.
My mom always put these lacy, poofy-sleeved jumpers and dresses on me that my grandma made. I put up a fight everytime she tried to get me in them for a family reunion or picture.
I've never had my hair short but used to climb trees, play with GI-Joes, and my bro's Super NES (until I got beat up). Maybe thats why I now love to beat up guys with a men's 39.
BTW GreenArrow, thanks so much for the women's forum! Its awsome to hear from other women doing kendo around the world!!!

[bullet08]

Sounds familiar. My mother always wanted me to look pretty and dispaired when I played out with the boys and got all muddy and wet. The boys always had the fun, the girls had to do boring stuff with cooking and kids and stuff...

These days I work in a male-orientated world so it's not really an issue. OK, so I can wear makeup and can look girly and have (just about) trained myself to walk in high heels, but why bother, I am what I am. I wear what's appropriate for the circumstances these days...

growing up, i always found girls more fun to play with. they carry better conversation, they are prettier, they smell better, and they have bits that we don't have. i still prefer to play with girls, and that's why i married one. boys are only good for going out drinking and looking for more girls. and getting in fights with.

pete

[lucy]

How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?

Well, honestly, I have quite short hair, sometimes people used to think I was a boy, but I don't really consider myself to have been a tomboy... I guess it depends on how you define that. I had dolls, but I never wore skirts/dresses after the age of 9/10. I liked to go horseriding, but not the frilly stuff... I never played with boys a lot, because there were none. But I loved to go into the woods and build caves/huts. :rolleyes: But certainly not because someone made me do that!

Today (ha, I'm only 18...) I still don't wear skirts or high heels, I like casual clothes which aren't absolutely up to date, I like to go hiking/camping, ...

As mentioned, I still have short hair, out of convenience, I like to say, or rather because my attempts at letting it grow result in this horrible stage where you look as if you had a swab on your head... :(

Maybe I'm not that "feminine", I don't wear make up and such, but that's my own choice. :wink:

Well, I got a bit off topic here, I think, sorry 'bout the rambling. :happy:

P.S.: I'm a bit afraid of having to do what GreenArrow said: "I wear what's appropriate for the circumstances these days..."
because I'd like to study law... I guess I'll have to change my habits and learn how to use make up...

[GreenArrow]

P.S.: I'm a bit afraid of having to do what GreenArrow said: "I wear what's appropriate for the circumstances these days..."
because I'd like to study law... I guess I'll have to change my habits and learn how to use make up...

Ha! You'll soon have to learn... particularly in law.

Seriously, it's just another uniform. I much prefer casual trousers, sensible shoes and fleecy tops- with a rucksack to carry shopping. BUT- in my professional role I have to LOOK professional. Unfortunately, in the Western world, that means heels, makeup, smart clothes (although I go for the "classy" look rather than high fasion, I'm not in my early twenties any more!) and even a handbag! It took me AGES to train myself to wear high heels... even now, it's a chore. I have short hair because it's easy- "wash and wear" and on smart days all I need do is put a bit of hair wax through to sculpt it to shape a bit. Mind you, I do pay a decent amount for a GOOD cut that makes this bit easy.

That aside, I've developed my own take on smart, that allows a degree of comfort. That's when sewing machines are wonderful, that way you're not a slave to whatever is on the highstreet. Unless of course you can afford REALLY expensive gear..!

Good luck with the Law studies.

[h2o]

growing up, i always found girls more fun to play with. they carry better conversation, they are prettier, they smell better, and they have bits that we don't have. i still prefer to play with girls, and that's why i married one. boys are only good for going out drinking and looking for more girls. and getting in fights with. Haha, nice summary :D

[lucy]

Ha! You'll soon have to learn... particularly in law.
[...]
Good luck with the Law studies.

I will, at least skirts are not required... :D

Thanks a lot!

[rottunpunk]

P.S.: I'm a bit afraid of having to do what GreenArrow said: "I wear what's appropriate for the circumstances these days..."
because I'd like to study law... I guess I'll have to change my habits and learn how to use make up...

maybe thats where im going wrong and cant get a job?
seriously though, trouser suits are allowed.
and you'll probably be able to get away with minimum make-up.
:p

[Airin]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?
I don't know other women, but not me. I still have long hair and my mom tried to make me to play classical dance (sometimes I feel a little sorry for her :D !!).

[mingshi]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?
Maybe we can create a Men's Forum and ask "How many of you Kendo dudes were exposed too much Star Wars, Kungfu movies, Anime, Samurai movies, Ninja costumes, or whatever that has swords in it?"

[samurai999]

Maybe we can create a Men's Forum and ask "How many of you Kendo dudes were exposed too much Star Wars, Kungfu movies, Anime, Samurai movies, Ninja costumes, or whatever that has swords in it?"

I have yet to watch a samurai/ninja movie all the way through. ahaha. I used to watch kung-fu movies with my friend as comedy relief (the typical bad voice overs) and Star Wars was good for eps 4, 5 and 6. One look at Jar-Jar was enough drive misa mad!

[JByrd]

Maybe we can create a Men's Forum and ask "How many of you Kendo dudes were exposed too much Star Wars, Kungfu movies, Anime, Samurai movies, Ninja costumes, or whatever that has swords in it?"

Do you really want to know the answer to the question you posed, or are you just taking a swipe at me for posing mine?

[Paikea]

Maybe we can create a Men's Forum and ask "How many of you Kendo dudes were exposed too much Star Wars, Kungfu movies, Anime, Samurai movies, Ninja costumes, or whatever that has swords in it?"Not movies...Kung Fu the TV show. I heard David Carradine isn't really chinese anymore....

[Shogun]

well i think shorter hair on girls is cute.

[Genya]

What´s Browney?

Most terrible day of my life was when my aged neighbour thought I was a girl. I was very young then and I´ve been hearing that I look lot like my mom. But now I have beard! :D

[lucy]

well i think shorter hair on girls is cute.

I wish some guys around here would think that way... :disapp:

Genya, as far as I know brownies are girl scouts. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Newbie]

Not me always had long hair but have always been attracted to martial pursuits since I was little but never, ever have I considered cutting my hair.

[Inner_Silence]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?


i think its all about you beeng yourself and beeing confortable about it, i think (and i may be wrong but i dont think so) that to a girl is more important to FEEL pretty than actually beeng it (anyway i think all girls are pretty), so u can feel good with long or short hair, with lots of make up or just natural... or anyway u want, the important thing is that u feel good about it. and u dont have to look like a boy to do kendo, im sure that those girls that actually look like boys know this too, is their choice to look whatever they want. in a shiai the important thing is if you are trained or not, and is about finding out what u have inside, it is not about ur look.
so if a girl looks like a boy its all up to her, of course if she would not practice kendo, she would still look like a boy.

[JByrd]

Thanks, everyone. Reading all the replies has gotten me thinking some more.

As a kid I knew lots of girls who were tomboys but I didn't know any boys who were treated in a "sissy boy" way by their parents. It seems to me like it is OK to masculinize a girl, but not OK to feminize a boy, another twist on our double standard.

I played with both girls and boys when I was a kid. With the boys, we played mostly at physical, goal-oriented activities (football, etc.), but there was some cooperative play, too (like cowboys and indians). With the girls it was mostly cooperative play, and individual achievement was almost never the focus.

Kendo has both physical, goal-oriented aspects, and cooperative aspects. I definitely think that my progress depends more now on cooperative activity. I can't increase my level of individual achievement unless I get the help of key people.

[Falcon]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?

I went butch several times in my youth, 6th or 7th grade. I was mistaken for an effeminent male on a number of occassions.:down:. The style just didn't fit me.
I've since gone long as an adult... when haircut time comes I usually donate it to lockes of love.

[phoenixgrl]

Hey, Im an idaho girl, I have long sexy hair :) and I wear makeup to kendo sometimes.

I just wanted to say that I have noticed, in my small experience with kendo, that very strong people (not only physically, but mentally and emotionally, too) are attracted to kendo. I am from a younger generation, and in my opinion, girls who are strong are often classified as "tomboys" simply because they have the guts to do everything that strong men do. I do a lot of things that people probably consider "male-dominated" and since I am very successful (more than a lot of guys), I am called things like a "tomboy" or "bitchy feminist" or "tough for a girl" . I don't like when people refer to me as "boyish" or as a "tomboy." I do the things I do, and I do them well, and it has nothing to do with being boyish. Why is it that if you succeed in the world it is considered a "male" trait?

So in conclusion,in my opinion, it isn't "tomboys" that are attracted to kendo, it is just people who happen to be strong, and happen to be women, and are therefore considered to be tomboys because for some reason, that's what strong women are considered to be (by both men and other women, and maybe often even themselves).

[pgsmith]

i just have to say it.
Hey,
You sure speak your mind just like a guy!


Sorry, the bad joke just had to be made! :D

[Alison2805]

you wear makeup to kendo? On purpose???

[phoenixgrl]

no, actually its not on purpose. I don't bother with powdering my nose and whipping out the lipstick in the locker room :) . Its just that I pretty much always wear makeup, so unless I have just showered, its on. There aren't any other girls in my dojo...is it uncommon for girls to wear makeup in kendo?

[neko]

i don't normally wear make-up. but if i do and i have kendo, i wash it off. otherwise it would be smeared all over my face. :silly:

[Alison2805]

same, Ill wash it off after work if I can. Although big mascara panda-eys WOULD put off an opponent..... hmmm.. I remember someone saying they wore lippy under thier men and would blow a kiss at their opponent just before a match to rattle the guy :laugh:

[bullet08]

girls who are strong are often classified as "tomboys" simply because they have the guts to do everything that strong men do..

hmm.. met number of women in and outside of kendo who have very strong will, and are very feminine. no way in any way they were 'tomboys'. but you can tell they have steel in their eyes and will b*tch slap you when it's needed.

pete

[neko]

I remember someone saying they wore lippy under thier men and would blow a kiss at their opponent just before a match to rattle the guy :laugh:

what is "lippy"? i am assuming that it is lipstick. but is it scented or something? just curious. i love the different english names for things. like "hen party". the first time i heard that was on these forums. love that one. :)

for the record, i am a girl with short, short hair. it is graying, and i don't color it. i consider myself a tomboy. i like clothes and shoes. i cuss like a sailor. i do kendo. :)

[bullet08]

for the record, i am a girl with short, short hair. it is graying, and i don't color it. i consider myself a tomboy. i like clothes and shoes. i cuss like a sailor. i do kendo. :)

your forgot to roar after that last sentence.. and say.. 'i'm a woman, hear me roar!'..

pete

[neko]

actually i would say, "i am women, hear me kiai." ;)

[tamaki]

After listening to a conversation between some of the women at my club, I started to wonder: How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?


I always was a very good client of hairdressers,cosmetics' stores,love dresses/high heels etc. :redface: fan of pink,girly stuff and all these (useless sometimes) things boyfriends wonder why we spend so much money on.On the other hand I love BBguns,collect knives,and I dont mind playing aikido on the grass.As a kid I played barbie with my sis and "war" with my boy cousins.But I don't think that makes one a tomboy.

and I don't think that all these things have any connection to kendo itself.Yeah of course, if you train 3 times a day short hair is better/faster to wash.But you can get through with long and a manicure~just need more time.
Anyway I think all this gender stuff is not related to kendo.Thats why we put on the same-looking men,the same dogi,and train all together.

[subygal]

Like sports (skiing, telemarking, mountain biking) and Kendo.

Have short hair - but its more of a practical thing - growing it long means way too much work to keep it tidy - and I value my extra sleep. Like I eat breakfast at work - a minute saved getting ready is a minute extra under the doona :D

I was a tomboy when I was younger - but I spose I always got along better with the boys. I work in a male dominated industry (telecommunications). But I get hairstyles, waxing, manicures and massages :)

[futabachan]

How many of you Kendo women were given a short, boyish, haircut, and treated like a tomboy as a kid?

Well, I was (in probably a different scenario than you're imagining)... but I'm not sure whether that had to do with me winding up in kendo or not.

[futabachan]

It seems to me like it is OK to masculinize a girl, but not OK to feminize a boy, another twist on our double standard.

Definitely, Free to Be You and Me notwithstanding.

I played with both girls and boys when I was a kid. With the boys, we played mostly at physical, goal-oriented activities (football, etc.), but there was some cooperative play, too (like cowboys and indians). With the girls it was mostly cooperative play, and individual achievement was almost never the focus.

Hmm. I remember a higher percentage of competitive/goal oriented activities when playing with the boys than with the girls, but there was definitely some "goal-oriented" play with girls (bike races, board games, and so forth) in addition to the cooperative stuff.

OTOH, it was only with the boys that things like territorial warfare (using sticks) for control of the woods behind all our houses happened....

[futabachan]

As a kid I played barbie with my sis and "war" with my boy cousins.

The pink-and-blue nonsense that toy manufacturers try to push on everyone notwithstanding, that sounds like a fairly standard part of most childhoods....