Don't Let It Be a Man's World

Muay Thai is a tough sport and it's even tougher if you are a woman. It's a male dominated sport and it can be intimidating to step into a club in the first place. This can be a reason why a lot of women won't even try it. Some women have said to me over the years, "I'd love to try it but all the men in there would put me off." I totally understand as being a woman myself I know I how self conscious I felt when I first started. If you are hooked after one class then you will soon get over all the men in the room.

Being self conscious seems like nothing to me now when I compare it to dealing with sexism in the clubs. Over all the different clubs I've trained in over 8 years, I have come across a few men who have underestimated me and some other females. I'd find myself hitting the pads that bit harder anytime I had a male partner just to prove to them that I am not a weak girl who's here for the fun of it.

During some classes I would have been the only woman and I would have been ignored and left on the bag. I have had guys who barely train refusing to be my partner. Some occasions I have been told I couldn't spar with the lads. Once I was told I couldn't stay back and do weights after class like the guys do. I was asked,"Why are you doing weights anyway?" I answered, "The same reason why the men are doing them." I've seen a guy refuse to grapple with a female fighter saying he "Doesn't clinch with women." I've been told to move off a guys favorite training spot in a big empty gym. I have had a couple of guys beat me too a pulp in sparring to try and prove some macho point.

There were times over the years where I would be first into the gym and last one to leave because I was so interested in perfecting my technique and learning as much as I possibly could. I believe at one point I trained harder than any of the guys did. I did two exhibition fights and one C class pro fight (where the MC announced my fight as "a bitch fight") and I have trained for a few fights that never happened. I paid my money like everyone else and I deserved to be treated like everyone else. I accept that men are naturally stronger than women but all I want is to be treated as an equal so I too can improve they way most men do as they start training with people who are stronger or more experienced than them.


Most men will never hear the sexist comments that a woman will face at training. It's made me angry, it's made me cry but it has never made me give up.

Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good.