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Old 02-14-2011, 11:16 AM   #161
George S. Ledyard
 
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Dojo: Aikido Eastside
Location: Bellevue, WA
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,670
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Re: New Internal Style of The Wooden Staff

Quote:
Mark Freeman wrote: View Post
Hi George,

I know you didn't mean it to, and I did add that in my p.s. I was being slightly tongue in cheek when I said it but I don't think I conveyed that tone in the text, apologies.

Aikiweb is a pretty small place with a few familiar faces, many of the people that used to post when I joined over 5 years ago, don't still frequent the forums. I left it alone myself for a few years. People come and go, that's the nature of the beast.

It is a shame that more senior women are not represented here, interestingly enough, they don't get mentioned very much when all the IP/IS/aiki wonga waving is going on, why? do they not feature in the equation?

I practice with some superb teachers some of whom happen to be women. I see no difference in the aikido I know, as it has no gender bias.

The forums have a bit of bar room feel about them, some people are not keen on the atmosphere, that's fine, their lives are in no way diminished by not being here. You are right though, it is our loss that a) there aren't more women posting here and b) the tone can descend too far.

Personally I don't like any all male environments, they usually make me feel embarassed to be of the gender. I much prefer the balance that women bring. (mind you all female environments, can be problematic, so some of my female friends tell me )

Maybe if everyone behaves themselves, we would attract more of the fairer sex to the discussions?

boys will be boys, true, which is a pain in the bum as they scare away the women, children and old folk in other words, the interesting folk.

regards

Mark
My entire history in Aikido has been tied up with powerful women. When I started with Saotome Sensei in 1976, three out of the five yudansha who moved there to help him open that dojo were women and they were my first teachers and practice partners. That firs year Linda Holiday Sensei came to train with us, then Patty Saotome moved up from Florida. Most of these women are 6th dans now and several run their own schools and have for decades.

When I came to Seattle, Sensei told me to train with Mary Heiny Sensei. The majority of her seniors were women and they are all 6th Dans now and have their own schools. Pam Cooper, Joanne Veneziano, and Kimberly Richardson all have dojos in the Seattle area and all trained at that dojo under Mary when I was there.

So, Aikido in my experience has not been a "boys club" and I did not at all intend to sound patronizing in my post. It wasn't meant that way.

George S. Ledyard
Aikido Eastside
Bellevue, WA
Aikido Eastside
AikidoDvds.Com
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