Self-Defence
Bash back
Every single member of the LGBTQIA+ community has the right to safety and freedom from abuse. However, we live in a country that is increasingly hostile to queer people and people from all marginalised groups. The mission of Leeds Queer Self-Defence is to give queer people the knowledge, skills and confidence to defend themselves whenever they are threatened, and empower our community to fight back.
Our lead coach Zoë founded the class out of frustration over the fact that the vast majority of self-defence information seems to come from straight male ex-cops; in other words, people who have no experience being marginalised or vulnerable. We teach queer and trans-led classes based on our own experiences, and tailored to the needs of LGBTQIA+ people.
Inclusive. Effective. Empowering.
Our principles are simple:
Self-defence created by and for queer people.
It’s easy to fight off an attacker when you’re a 6’4” ex-paratrooper, but what works for them might not work for us. We teach techniques for the dolls, the twinks, the dykes and the queens based on what we need and what works for us.
Our classes are for everyone.
Everyone deserves to be safe, no matter their body type or ability level. Everyone is welcome in our class, and will always be taught techniques and knowledge that will work for them. We can customise everything we teach to work for you and your body, and are always happy to do so.
We are inclusive and trauma-informed.
We know that self-defence can bring up traumatic memories, so we work as hard as we can to make our classes suitable for everyone. We don’t victim-blame and we take participants’ psychological safety as seriously as their physical safety. If anything we teach is upsetting for any reason, we are always able to modify it.
We have fun.
Our classes aren’t dour, serious lectures about the dangers of the world. We want queer people to come along, enjoy themselves and be part of a community. Learning self-defence is a social activity, so come along and have fun!
What you’ll learn
Self-defence covers a wide range of topics. Here’s a selection of what you might learn at one of our classes:
Practical, physical techniques: The bread and butter of any self-defence class. You’ll be taught takedowns, throws, strikes, submission holds and a range of other martial arts techniques that will help you stay safe if attacked.
De-escalation: How do you stop a situation getting violent? Sometimes the answer is to talk gently and calm the other person down. Other times, it’s to shout, scream and cause a fuss. You’ll learn how to de-escalate people so you can escape confrontations without anyone getting hurt.
Personal safety awareness: What do you need to look and listen for when you’re out and about in order to keep yourself safe? You’ll learn how to avoid dangerous situations and prevent yourself from being targeted.
Self-defence law: You have a legal right to defend yourself, but the law surrounding that can be complex. You’ll learn when you are allowed to use force, how much force you can use, and how to navigate the legal system.
Our coach
Leeds Queer Self-Defence is run by Zoë, a qualified self-defence instructor and long-time martial artist. She has over a decade of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA, and takes techniques from her wide experience to form her self-defence curriculum.
Zoë was inspired to start a self-defence class by two things: the tragic murder of Brianna Ghey, and her own experience attending self-defence classes run by straight white men. She realised that most self-defence instruction is created by men with no idea about what it’s like to be vulnerable and marginalised, and so set out to create classes that worked for the queer community.
