Categories: sport & leisure

What About Wen-Do!?

January 30, 2019 | Rise Up Collective

Wen-Do, the so-called “womanly art of self-defense” was invented in Toronto by Ned and Ann Paige. An article in the February 1984 edition of Womonspace News describes Wen-Do as integrating and adopting “techniques from many other forms of martial arts for use against the specific types of both physical and verbal attacks common too [sic] women.”

This image and caption describing Wen-Do appears in the
December 1983 edition of Womonspace News.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Wen-Do workshops—advertised in many of the newsletters included in the Rise Up Archive—frequently took place in women’s centres and on university and college campuses, helping women develop the skills they might need to fight back against a violent attack, and to more broadly increase self-confidence. Rape culture persisted—persists—and while avoiding situations where attacks might occur is part of Wen-Do, classes have historically provided women with an enhanced sense of security. 

Today, decades later, Wen-Do workshops continue to be taught all over Canada and around the world.

A testimonial and workshop notice from the Women Spirit newsletter (June-July 1988). 

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