Should gay people know how to defend themselves?

Red-blooded Chinese, from America! I'm proud of both of my cultures!

Back to the subject at hand, though. LGBT people are still a somewhat common target for hate crimes.
If we're armed, then criminals should be less likely to mess with us.
If that's illegal where you're from, you should learn some defensive maneuvers, just in case. (Martial arts, boxing, that kind of thing. Some sports will also teach you some information about staying safe.)
There is no harm in learning to protect yourself, after all.

 

I think everyone should learn to defend themselves. You never know when someone will start shit. I don't have the discipline, though, so I guess I'd just carry some form of defensive weapon, like mace, when I am most vulnerable.

 

It's always a good idea to know how to defend yourself. That goes for anybody, not just LGBT people.

 

Yes and i will learn kick boxing as i planned so no one will mess with me that includes homophobes and thieves that try to steal my purse remember i have a purse with buckles and i'm not afraid to use it

 

I'm pretty sure you could attend a class like this pretty much anywhere. Or do you mean like a special compulsory one for gay people? :lol:

Some people are more likely to need to defend themselves than others, it's up to individuals to decide whether it's necessary to know how to defend themselves and it depends on a million factors besides sexuality.

Personally I've never been in a homophobic altercation due to not being very out, but I think the chances in the future of a physical assault due to me being gay are pretty slim, I really don't think someone who is gay where I live needs to be able to handle themselves better in a fight than anybody else.

Even if I thought it likely that I'd be physically attacked for being gay, there's not many people who physically intimidate me, so no need for extra classes for me :lol:

 

Not just gay peiple, EVERYONE should know how to defend themselves. Yes, gays are targeted for hate crimes occasionally but women are targets of rape. Straight guys are less targeted but they still get mugged and murdered too.

 

Yes, we should, but I don't.

I doubt I could defend myself being as petite and weak as I am, which is why I live in fear of what would happen were I to be attacked.

 

I think anybody should learn to defend themselves should something happen *knocks on wood*.

 

I've thought about it, but have never made the time for it, meaning some kind of training. It seems that people undertake martial arts or boxing for the discipline it teaches them or to boost their self-esteem. However, I'm sure that, if backed into a dangerous corner, these people would use what they've learned to defend themselves. And they should. Except for one mugging as an adult, which is too complex to explain here and for which my use of physical force would have been futile, I have not met with any threats of bodily on the mean streets.

 

I've taken some steps, I enrolled into mma classes and so far so good, Im not in it for the competitive part just the defensive part.

 

I wouldn't mind some kind of martial arts training, if I wasn't so scared of things that reminded me of gym class! Maybe in a very small group. But I'd never carry a gun; rather just be aware, rely on my wits and my self.

 

Everyone should learn to defend themselves because you're never really sure of what type of person you may run into. I live in TN but im surrounded by people that are more tolerant of the lgb community but not that open minded towards transgendered people, that being said I always walk around with a pocket knife I figure since I can't fight might as well have something on me to even the odds.

 

Yes, queers are targets of hate crime, so we need to learn to defend ourselves.

Also, even if we are not worried about being attacked ourselves, we should always be thinking of what to do about others who are attacked. In fact, I believe that combat training is a feminist imperative.

 

If I were in danger, I'd be better off making an escape (if feasible) or not resisting at all; they'd be even worse in response to being hit back. Not to mention defence lawyers have a sickening tactic of getting self-defence to be seen as unwarranted or even "provocative."

That's not to say that others shouldn't, but I certainly have no intention of getting myself in an even worse situation.

 

I think everyone, especially minorities and women given how often they are targeted, should know how to defend themselves. Often its not even necessary to strike them but just use moves to distract them enough so you can get away. Also knowing how to protect yourself is part of self defense, that includes how to fall if someone pushes you or when to get into the proper stance when someone approaches you.

 

I know this has been said by a lot of other posters, but it is 100% true. It is essential for any person to know how to defend themselves. Unfortunately though, being a part of the LGBTQ community, ignorant people will become violent towards us when they wouldn't necessarily do the same to those that they know are heterosexual, or other bigots. This is just another added reason to an already extremely long list of reasons on why we should know how to defend ourselves, because even though not everyone is a homophobic bigot, the ones that are will see us as targets. For those who pay attention to the world around us, this should be painfully obvious.

 

Everyone should, not just queers.

 

Right now, I would say yes because hate is still prevalent, but it's sort of especially important for everyone to learn it.

I'm a pacifist and I would try my best to avoid any confrontation, but I will defend myself if my life is in danger or if someone else is in danger.