what if a man says NO i don't fight women?

This topic is not meant to start a fight, nor is it meant to be offensive. It turns out this is a very sensitive subject from both sides of the fence. Anyway, be it one on one heavy weapons or one on one fencing, if a man says NO I don't fight women, NO i don't fight girls, NO i don't fight females, should the woman be forced to accept no for an answer and simply walk away? ANSWER: Yes. Like it or not, but in every state in the US NO always means NO.

If a man has made it clear to his kingdom or even just to his local shire that he will not fight women, should the man be forced to stand face to face with a female fighter and say NO to her face? ANSWER: absolutily not. again, in every state NO always means NO. And in every state if she has a weapon, any weapon, anywhere on her person and the man feels threatened she could wind up in jail. And even if she has no weapon, she cannot approach him in any way that causes the man to feel threatened, or to appear threatening, either by words or by use of body language, as that could be seen as creating a hostile environment.

And how to we get around this very sensitive subject? Well the answer is simple, you have the ladies only tourneys and competitions such as the ones at Pennsic and Estrella, so there is no justifiable reason for not having men's only tourneys and competitions. And for those men and women who think that men refusing to fight women is discrimination, it is not. in fact, when I wrote to the SCA asking about this very subject They stated in writing that if a man does not want to fight women. He doesn't have to. also keep in mind that since the SCA is a private nonprofit organization if they wanted to pass a rule Tomorrow morning saying that women could no longer fight. They could do that and not be guilty of gender discrimination. Just like the LPGA can refuse to allow men to play in LPGA sanctioned events on the basis of gender, and not be guilty of discrimination.

Last but not least. I myself am a member of the SCA, and I am bound by honor to be honest, and to be courteous at all times. So must anyone who replies to this topic that is also a member of the SCA. And may everyone have a very pleasant day.

commander