Turns Out There's Good Discrimination And Bad Discrimination
Tristin Hopper writes for the Nat Post of Canada that Sonja Power, a Nova Scotia high school student, isn't going quietly in the wake of her aikido teacher following provincial law and accommodating a male Muslim student's request that he not be required to touch the dirty, dirty females:
"I felt degraded, discriminated against, I felt like a woman in the 1950s," said Sonja Power, 17, a former student at Halifax's East Coast Yoshinkan Aikido, a school operated out of the city's Lakeside Community Centre. "We wouldn't allow someone using their religion to discriminate against someone's race, so why would they use it to discriminate against somebody's gender?"Ms. Power, a resident of the Halifax suburb of Upper Tantallon, NS, had been a student at East Coast Yoshinkan since the age of six.
In the spring of 2012, Ms. Power, then 15, was just on the verge of earning her aikido black belt when she said a man enrolled at the school and told its owner that, for reasons of his Islamic faith, he was not allowed physical contact with women.
The request would not have been noticed in a pottery class or a fencing course, but Aikido -- like any martial art -- is uniquely physical. The ultimate effect, said Ms. Power, was that sessions were suddenly being divvied up by sex.
The school's sensei (teacher), "would put all the women on one side and then offer a side for the Muslim man so there wouldn't be any problems," she said.
And when it came time for the customary end-of-class handshakes, "he would shake hands with all the other men in the dojo, but he wouldn't even come over and look at the women ... he just ignored us," said Ms. Power.
The man also refused to bow, apparently telling the dojo's sensei that he only bowed to Allah. Bowing is a big part of the Japanese martial art, and aikido students are expected to regularly bow to classmates, the sensei and the front wall of the dojo, which is traditionally adorned with portraits of aikido's pioneers.
A comment at the site from Andrew Darnel:
Andrew Darnel
Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, but I do have a problem with people trying to use religion as a means to change a system that is already in place. For instance, having an entire dojo segregate (as the article indicates) so that one man can have his religious beliefs fulfilled is not cool. The young woman (in this article) was nearing her shodan (first degree black belt), and was most likely wanting to train with other men, perhaps of similar or higher rank. And why not give her that opportunity, especially considering that she was a paying member and had been training since she was 6 years old!!!??Women in martial arts are very valuable training partners. Co-ed training allows students to learn the importance of technique and less on power or strength. Some of the best aikido practitioners I have met were, in fact, women!!! It's obvious that the religious zealot described in this article will never have the pleasure of knowing some of these awesome female aikido practitioners.
Aikido is a "neutral" martial art. I believe that separating men from women goes against the whole philosophy of aikido.
Again, if people of a certain religion can't manage modern society, they should do as the Amish do and keep to themselves or, better yet, live in one of those dark ages countries where they don't let women leave the house without a male guardian and they slaughter those nasty homosexuals.
Got Sharia?
Let me just take this opportunity to say that "the 50's" weren't as bad as this child wants them to be for her rhetorical purposes, at least within the United States.
And that pretending that they were cheats the history of our development of meaningful feminist insight.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at January 16, 2014 2:16 AM
I guarantee you the story would be a tad bit different if some woman had objected to having to touch dirty, dirty men. She would have been depicted as speaking truth to power or some such rot, and an example of the "good" discrimination.
I R A Darth Aggie at January 16, 2014 6:27 AM
One of the major distinctions of Aikido is its use of an opponent's momentum against him, a triumph of redirecting kinetic energy, over brute strength.
For women, practicing with men who are taller, heavier, stronger (sweaty, hairy, and more impervious to pain) provides a lot of the value of training. For men, the value of training wih women would be in learning proportion - the comparatively less force needed to subdue a female attacker with reduced risk of injury to either. The ability to meet a conflict in a way that brings it to a swift and harm-less end is what attracts many people to practice this art. So segregating the class seriously reduces the value available in practicing this particular art.
Michelle at January 16, 2014 6:50 AM
Yeah, but the guys who runs the joint is a private business owner so he can discriminate however he wants. Right?
Elle at January 16, 2014 7:55 AM
It's Canada. So they probably have some law about respect for the Islamists or some such.
Jim P. at January 16, 2014 8:06 AM
If there were only a case of a private business owner making the business decision of discriminating I would say he has every right to do so and she has every right to point out what an idiot he is.
But, it doesn't seem that way - the law is forcing him to do this. (or, in the very least, he is just agreeing with that claim as he doesn't want the Muslim fanatics to come after him)
Further, Halifax recreational coordinator Peter Jollimore can state: "[Sometimes] the exercise of human rights by some individuals can come into conflict with human rights entitlements of others."
So, here's what I suggest: How about MY religion (okay, so it is one I just made up) forbids me from looking at Muslims - so they have to step aside and turn their backs to me when I walk down the street?
And if the law supports this as it seems to support this Muslim bigot, then the law is an ass.
Charles at January 16, 2014 8:36 AM
"A Nova Scotia high school student is asserting she was reduced to “second-class citizenship” after her Halifax aikido school followed provincial human rights law and accommodated a male student’s religious request not to touch his female classmates."
Michelle at January 16, 2014 8:48 AM
For women, practicing with men who are taller, heavier, stronger (sweaty, hairy, and more impervious to pain) provides a lot of the value of training.
I do BJJ, and there are tons of things men can learn by rolling with women. We tend to be smaller, more flexible, quicker and less reliant on physical (brute) strength. And, in my experience, women concentrate a lot more on perfecting technique (because we HAVE to!). So guys who think they're the toughest, biggest MMA-wannabe badass learn a ton by rolling with women.
So yea, sparring with the opposite sex is vital to advancing in a martial art. Because a lot of rape victims turn to BJJ as self defense, a lot of schools are understanding that these women have certain triggers -- and therefore offer female-only classes. But these are offered at limited times (just like the teen-only classes are). So those willing to roll with everyone (despite sex, weight or age) have MANY more options and flexible hours to train. And that's how it should be.
This dude needs to find another hobby because aikido (or martial arts in general) is NOT a good fit for him. I get that the laws in Canada are different, but one solution could be: Make sure he's partnered with a male when they are learning the technique (instructors will often hand-pick "learning" partners based on size and skill level anyway) -- and then say he can feel free to rotate in/sit out of sparring rotation drills as he feels comfortable and bow out and get a drink of water when he realizes the next available person "in line" is a women -- and that women would just work with the next person in line. Not sure how aikido classes are run, or how the "open" sparring stuff works. This arrangement could work in my BJJ classes (without inconveniencing anyone but the idiot), but, for all I know my solution could still compromise the effectiveness of an aikido class.
sofar at January 16, 2014 9:18 AM
Oops. Meant to italicize the first paragraph of my post, as it's a direct quote from @Michelle.
sofar at January 16, 2014 9:23 AM
I strongly suspect that there are "legal" reasons involved. Here in the US a photographer and a baker have lost in court, with rulings that they could not turn away any prospective customers for religious or gender reasons. I think the proprietors are doing something I do not agree with [refusing to work for homosexual couples] but these rulings show that the interpretation that a business owner can refuse service at will is no longer overridden solely on "racial" grounds.
The sensei's "solution" of segregating all students [rather than arranging exercises so the one student would only work with one gender?] was overly simplistic - and probably itself illegal as well. As possibly would have been refusing to enroll the boy, which could cause a "religion discrimination" backlash not defensible by "business disruption" argument.
"If the law says that, the law is an ass." Hee-haw!
John A at January 16, 2014 10:12 AM
Simple. Tell the woman in question to attack the guy and see if he cites Muslim law and gets beaten up or reacts and defends himself. Problem solved.
Conan the Grammarian at January 16, 2014 10:43 AM
Simple. Tell the woman in question to attack the guy and see if he cites Muslim law and gets beaten up or reacts and defends himself. Problem solved.
It's Aikido, though ...
sofar at January 16, 2014 10:45 AM
Sofar's solutions seems the least disruptive to other student.
I play(ed) judo. One year I went to a camp were there were several Orthodox Jews-who also have a restriction against touching the opposite sex.
Most of the time they just choose a same-sex partner to work with. At one point we had an exercise were we were switching partners. Since I was a little out shape I opted to work with one of the female Orthodox students exclusively to make it easier for her (and me).
She also had to wear a skirt over her gi.
Katrina at January 16, 2014 11:29 AM
Sofar, good points. Thanks for making them. And I agree.
My KM instructor is petite, light weight, and has great technique (appears to me to be flawless). Watching her demonstrate on marines and other swift masses of muscle and bone clarifies that it's the technique that is effective.
Michelle at January 16, 2014 11:50 AM
... it's the technique that is effective.
And it's so dang HARD! When I started doing this, I never dreamed how hard getting the technique down would be. And I think that ties into the subject of this article -- in addition to totally ruining everyone else's experience, this guy is wrecking his own chances of ever being really good by failing to train with everybody. And he doesn't even realize it, probably.
sofar at January 16, 2014 12:04 PM
If I were a practicing Christian, I don't think I would have objected to bowing to the dojo's "patch" on the wall in my brief encounter with martial arts. I don't think that would rise to worshipping false idols or other gods.
The sensei should have thrown this throwback out on his arse!
mpetrie98 at January 16, 2014 12:16 PM
Again, if people of a certain religion can't manage modern society, they should do as the Amish do and keep to themselves or, better yet, live in one of those dark ages countries where they don't let women leave the house without a male guardian and they slaughter those nasty homosexuals.
Agreed. If there's not an aikido school that goes by the rules of his particular flavor of mumbo-jumbo, he should be shit out of luck.
Kevin at January 16, 2014 1:05 PM
Again, if people of a certain religion can't manage modern society, they should do as the Amish do and keep to themselves or, better yet, live in one of those dark ages countries where they don't let women leave the house without a male guardian and they slaughter those nasty homosexuals.
While I agree with the basic sentiment that the U.S. should not accommodate such medieval mindsets, I wouldn't suggest they go live in such places where women are chattel and homosexuals are executed. I'd rather see those nations either get with the times or die out, not send them new members for their sick societies.
Patrick at January 16, 2014 2:00 PM
Except that those of us who are not of their religion are the ones paying to defend their right to live in the 14th century while still protected and enhanced by the benefits of modernity.
The Amish et al can practice their religion and eschew modern amenities like electricity and buttons because the rest of us pay taxes, protective organizations (military, police, fire, etc.), pave roads, establish banking systems, etc. that enable them to safely isolate themselves in time and place.
Central Pennsylvania is safer for an Amish enclave than Central Syria - and the Amish know it.
Conan the Grammarian at January 16, 2014 3:23 PM
Actually, the full uncensored quote is "I felt like a black woman, or a black person in general, in the 1950's being told 'You have to sit at the back of the bus because you're so disgusting that no one else wants to interact with you'."
It's horrific that the move to segregate was even considered, let alone implemented and defended by the teacher, and then, later, the law. I had thought more of Canada.
My mother works for a Muslim man. He hires, and is around, women of different races and religions all of the time: It is possible for different people to co-exist.
The thing that the young man taking the class forgot is that "My rights end where yours begin."
Sonja Power deserved to be treated as an equal person: She was not.
Shame on this young man, the teacher who listened to him, and the provincial government of Nova Scotia for backing both.
Desiree at January 16, 2014 6:51 PM
Sofar, it is hard. And amazing when it's done well. Aikido in particular is fluid and graceful, a dance. (A dance you end face down with your arm pinned behind your back, but still...)
For all the reasons you enumerated, segregating the sexes diminishes the efficacy and value of the training. The nature of the good being offered is substantially changed. I wonder if Canadian law has a provision for considering that.
Michelle at January 16, 2014 9:06 PM
Sofar, it is hard. And amazing when it's done well. Aikido in particular is fluid and graceful, a dance. (A dance you end face down with your arm pinned behind your back, but still...)
For all the reasons you enumerated, segregating the sexes diminishes the efficacy and value of the training. The nature of the good being offered is substantially changed. I wonder if Canadian law has a provision for considering that.
Desiree, thanks for the full quote.
Michelle at January 16, 2014 9:08 PM
So somehow all the adventures the U.S. has had in Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Grenada and elsewhere would have left the Amish enclaves susceptible to being destroyed if they hadn't happened?
Jim P. at January 16, 2014 9:37 PM
The Muslim student should have been offered private lessons at the standard cost, with a male instructor, but should have been told his religious beliefs prevented accommodation in the class.
Isab at January 17, 2014 7:04 AM
What do those have to do with the fact that American law [and law enforcement] protect the rights of the Amish and other cloistered societies to pretend to eschew the modern world
No matter how much these groups claim to remove themselves from modern society, they still rely on and interact readily with the modern economy and infrastructure.
An Amish farmer is not having his steel plow made by the local blacksmith or shipped by horse and wagon from a foundry (with all the expenses in time and money that entails). He's getting it from a modern steel mill, shipped by rail and truck, and at the lower price the mill's modern economies of scale make possible.
The Amish folks shopping at Walmart are benefiting from the pricing and product mix made possible by modern supply chain logistics and a modern infrastructure (highways, airplanes, container freight, etc.).
Modernity, with all its faults and excesses, has made it possible for these groups to separate themselves. Countries with looser ties to modernity do not provide the freedom for groups to rebel against the majority and certainly do not protect them when they do.
The Amish are not being subjected to the pogroms the Armenians, Jews, and others repeatedly endured in less enlightened times and places.
So, go ahead and separate yourself from the modern world. Just make sure you do it someplace in the modern world.
Conan the Grammarian at January 17, 2014 8:50 AM
No problem here sparring with women, as long as they don't get upset when they get knocked down by a guy who didn't realize his strength or otherwise. Along with a waiver saying they won't sue for being "touched inappropriately" in the middle of a fight.
I partnered with a woman once in a college karate class. She had a couple of years of study, I was a new student. She had no problem trying to knock me off balance in a variety of ways. She seemed surprised when I tried pushing her dead center in the upper chest after she had me there. I certainly felt uncomfortable and only hit her shoulders from then on.
Sio at January 17, 2014 12:33 PM
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