I’ve never felt entirely safe in the world. As a gay guy, the fear of being gay bashed always lingers and with it, the knowledge that I don’t know how to defend myself. So I was especially grateful when my buddy McKinley offered to teach me self-defense.McKinley is fierce. A singer-songwriter with the band Dirty Martini, she's also the writer and composer of GRACIE AND THE ATOM, a new musical which I predict will be the next SPRING AWAKENING. Oh, yeah, and she's an engineer. And the host of a new pilot for the Discovery channel. And smokin' hot.
So I wasn't surprised that she knew self-defense. I mean, is there anything this woman can't do? What surprised me was how counter-intuitive it is. For instance: a guy comes at you with a club, get as close as you can because he can't swing it at you. Or falling on the ground in front of a guy with a knife because you can kick him and the worst thing that'll happen is a gash to the leg, rather than the abdomen.
I walked away feeling totally empowered and ready to beat the crap out of somebody.
Here's a tiny excerpt from my favorite song from GRACIE, which is, incidentally, the night McKinley and I met.
4 comments:
I know you probably don't have a lot of time to read, but if you do, I'd suggest reading Nicola Griffith's third book in her Aud Torvingen series, "Always". Okay, I think everyone should read all three, but Nicola used to teach self-defense to women before MS slowed her down, and a lot of the lessons she had to teach she's incorporated into this book. In an action-packed and kick-ass way, by the way.
And the lessons are great whether you're male or female, although she does address the "but I'd break a NAIL!" syndrome that girls have.
A lot of it is just being aware of the world around you, though.
Thanks for the intro to another artist that I enjoy!
Oh yeah, count your blessings. These self-defense strategies were taught to high school girls, in gym class, during 70's.
Which raises the question - is it an easier life path to be gay or female?
"Gracie and the Atom" sounds really interesting. Is it showing anywhere that I could see it?
Post a Comment