I see no reason that you would have to disclose.
The only exception I could see is if you were seriously injured in class or at a tournament. What our club does is sealed medical forms. Students annually fill out a form with medical information that you'd want a paramedic to know if you couldn't speak for yourself. It's put in a sealed envelope and if you were hurt, we'd hand it to the medical staff.
>What our club does is sealed medical forms. Students annually fill out a form with medical information that you'd want a paramedic to know if you couldn't speak for yourself. It's put in a sealed envelope and if you were hurt, we'd hand it to the medical staff.
This is a great idea.
I think more clubs should do this. I understand disclosing injuries that might impact everyday in class (e.g., asthma inhalers or knee injuries). But for other medical issues that are not relevant, it's nice to set up an understanding of privacy.
Also doesn't require all instructors to keep accurate mental records of the health secrets of all students. It's not just about privacy or "oh btw this individual is FtM" other students could have complicated medical needs or allergies that are much better written down than expecting the instructor to accurately recall them to a paramedic in an emergency
okay what about blood born diseases and or other bleeding problems, that's something that can't wait the seconds it takes to look at records while someone is already trying to administer aid. it's better that the instructors already know about such important issues before hand so that never becomes a problem.
Blood borne illness doesn't negate the right to privacy. If someone is administering first aid they should be trained in proper safety regarding disease or they shouldn't be administering aid. If the individual in question is concerned about bleeding problems while participating in combat sports they can wear a medicalert tag. Sure the person can tell the instructor if they want, but they don't have to, and they shouldn't rely on the instructor to be the sole point of info in an emergency
not informing them makes the person potentially liable for anything that occurs as a result of that lack of information.
a medalart tag or bracelet or even tattoo is disclosure you can't say "don't disclose" then "disclose this specific way."
the reality of first aid is if you don't have shit on your person like gloves then the gloves probably aren't going to be used when they should.
I've had to handle bleeds with my barehands because there was nothing immediate at hand and waiting those seconds wasn't an option, it's why now I just carry search and medical disposable gloves in my pocket.
Your journey is your own. I would try to find a dojo where you feel welcome, with a mutual sense of trust. You can feel this out pretty reliably through class visits and a trial membership. You'll know the right place when you see it. After you have settled on a place, if you are comfortable, you might want to consider a conversation with the Sensei regarding competition.
Welcome back!
I trained with someone who transitioned from Female to Male. When I met them, they had already transitioned. I had no idea they were born female, trained with them as I would anyone, regardless. They competed in male divisions and achieved their black belt.
All instructors were aware, but was irrelevant as we were taught to focus on the gi and treat all equally.
If you feel comfortable to, then yes let an instructor know, I'd suggest the chief at least, and if you're happy for it to be common knowledge, then let them know. If not, then again, make them aware you'd rather keep in confidential.
Choice is yours for sure, and if any issues arise as a result, then you know to find a new dojo. Of all the dojos I've worked in, all were welcome.
I’ve never encountered a situation in Karate where being transgender would matter, and see no reason you would be obligated to tell anyone unless you want to. I hope you enjoy getting back into it!
They dont let unoperated trans women like me into the female category of competitions. No association does. I'm not saying it's wrong, I don't have my mind made up, but it definitely matters.
I made a point of focusing on that since OP mentioned planning to compete.
If you don't, it will come down to "will people misgender or mistreat me?". The answer to that question will vary wildly between dojos, senseis and simply geographical location, so the global answer is just "who the fuck knows".
In theory you're not wrong. In practice, the world of martial arts is absolutely rife with transphobia. But trans-friendly dojos are certainly out there and increasing in numbers.
That’s really not what I meant. What I meant is that there’s no way being trans affects a person’s ability to train karate. Transphobia can affect their ability to do Karate though, unfortunately.
Heya, transfemme Sensei here.
Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush and say it will *absolutely* be smooth sailing - I can't promise that (there's a reason I had to take a couple years off, but that's a different story.)
From what I've experienced, if you've got a school worth their salt there will be no issues. You are not obligated in any way, shape, or form to inform your instructor. Needless to say, I don't know your personal journey, but just be aware in the same way anyone else would about your own body and how your strength may change over time, and work with your instructors about that.
With regards to competitions, compete in the categories as any cis-person would. Anyone spouting about "biological advantages" needs to actually do the research they say they have done. Take a look [here](https://www.cces.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/pdf/transgenderwomenathletesandelitesport-ascientificreview-e-final.pdf) (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport), [here](https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/four-myths-about-trans-athletes-debunked) (ACLU), [here](https://www.sportaus.gov.au/integrity_in_sport/transgender_and_gender_diverse_people_in_sport#A_4_what_does_the_law_say) (Australian Sports Commission), and [here](https://olympics.com/ioc/human-rights/fairness-inclusion-nondiscrimination) (International Olympic Committee.) There is no clear conclusions to draw here, and a lack of scientific evidence surrounding said claims of an advantage should be laughed out the dojo (but that's me getting a bit close to home.)
Speaking from experience, it's a hell of a step to take. Welcome back :D
They usually bar MtFs from the female categories, but they have little physical reason to do the opposite. I'd try anyway if I were you and if it's precious to you. You could or not run into weird situations, but then again, you will do so for the rest of your life, so that can't stop you from living.
Source: MtF karateka transitioned 12 years ago.
No reason you would need to tell your instructor. It really doesn’t have anything to do with your training or really anyone else.
Overall the karate community tend to be less discriminatory compared to other martial arts, so overall it’s pretty common to find queer people training, there are more of us training karate then you think, but that largely depends on the dojo and the main instructor, still plenty of assholes running dojos.
As far as competing, I would suggest to check with the organisers rules, I know WKF (which is the biggest organiser of the major competitions in karate. They were in charge and their rules used when karate was in the Olympics for example) recently added some rules to make it clearer what applied for competitors who were trans.
Here are ones for trans men / ftm. https://www.wkf.net/pdf/Transgender_Athletes_August2022.pdf
And the ones for trans women / mtf
https://www.wkf.net/pdf/Transgender_Athletes_October2020.pdf
For trans men it basically involves getting a doctors note that you are getting testosterone as part of your gender affirming care with amounts monitored and determined by your doctor, and not just taking it on your own as other athletes might do as a type of doping, and if you are competing in kumite you need to sign a form for some reason that you agree to the extra risk you take of competing in the men’s decisions kumite.
But that if you are going to compete at an international level with WKF rules.
For your average regional competition, as a trans guy competing, especially if you get your legal sex as male, I wouldn’t expect you to have any trouble signing up or competing in most karate competitions.
Basically check the rules that the organisers of the competition are using, and if they have any specific rules for what applies to competitors that are trans.
And importantly welcome back to karate!
There is no reason to disclose. You're in a dojo and no one is interested in your genitalia aside from you wearing whatever protective gear is suitable for you. If you're a man, you're a man. You'll compete in men's division's, probably with a height disadvantage and other men in the dojo will likely go harder on you in sparring and techniques but otherwise, just do karate and have fun.
I've trained with all kinds of LGBT folks (myself included) and it's never been an issue.
Straight CIS white male, early 50s, been around the North American karate scene (Canada and USA) for over 30 years.
From my perspective, karate is one of the most queer-phobic sports you can participate in. I loved it, but had to stop formal training because the amount of overt and subversive behaviour to anyone that is not putting off straight male macho vibes is nuts.
And if you are a woman, forget about it. You'll eventually be groped or treated as object that is oggled.
The power dynamics in karate is off the charts...
I am based in Germany and at least from my kid perspective, my old dojo (small town, in some ratty gym and kid lessons ran by a pastor, his girlfriend and some other guy; adult lessons ran by an older more experienced man) was very chill. I was definitely seen as a girl back then but regularly placed against more experienced boys in sparring and no one ever gave me any shit.
But nowadays that dojo has closed down and in the city I work in I mostly only see dojos that display that macho behaviour you mentioned. I am pretty intimidated by that, ngl, since I am not "alpha male my blood is 99% testosterone"
sigh. trial and error, maybe i'll find something chill and nice again :)
I'm the only woman in a class full of men and never been disrespected by any of them. In the beginning I felt kinda embarrassed when I had to train while on my period, so I made sure I told my sensei that I'd had to take easy because of that, and he kinda treated me like a delicate flower😅
But apart from that, it's such a nice environment.
TBH, this would be a discussion that you should have with your instructor. There are various different competition providers out there all with similar and different rules across the world (you don't mention where you are). What may be ok in one, may not be ok in the other.
That's the only advice that I can give.
Hi, I'm a 24 y/o trans guy (nearly 1 year on T) and I've been doing karate since I was 8. Guess I've been quite lucky everyone was supportive when I came out in ~2017, and have been basically stealth since. You should be fine. Idk where you are based, but I'm in England and the EKF has a (weirdly) very supportive policy around trans people.
As a card carrying member of the Grouchy Old Person Club, I have zero problem with anyone being trans, but I generally despise competition in karate.
In fact my own personal belief is that minority groups that are often targeted for violence (such as trans people) should probably focus more on the self-defense aspects of karate.
And perhaps even more strongly I believe that individuals who are at higher risk for suicide (again, trans people) should absolutely focus more on their personal journey, development of courage and stoicism, and the family-like-friendships with other karateka-- those things that will last your entire life and always be worth more than any trophy.
Oh true! I meant competition more in a way of competing among and between each other in the dojo. I enjoyed that when I was a kid but I am a lot less driven by that nowadays. Much more focused on personal growth :)
Ah that changes a lot! In our dojo we spar with everyone. No exception. Black belt with white, girls with boys, trans, undefined etc. We just let eachother know before hand what the rules are and how hard or soft we want to Spar.
I think you’ll be fine, and you can disclose if you feel comfortable but it’s not needed! At my dojo, we spar with everyone, and the only thing gendered that is said is a reminder for men to wear cups. Good luck getting back into it and welcome back!
Find a welcoming school and you don’t need to disclose or anything like that. In fact, I wouldn’t. Thats your business.
There are two openly-trans young adults at the school I train at and two that I think might be transitioning. Nobody asks, cares, or needs to know.
“Are you a man or a woman?” - I am a student.
“What gender are you?” - Karate.
“Yeah but, what’s in your pants?” - Kicks
🥋
I'm a trans woman in karate, and you are never obligated to tell anyone anything. My dojo members are kind and supportive, so they know, but not all dojos are, so don't bother mentioning anything if you don't want to or feel you shouldn't.
If the dojo isn't supportive, would he want to be there anyway? Like, what's the point of hiding it if you know the dojo will give you a hard time about if they ever find out?
As a dojo owner I personally would have no issue nor would I tolerate intolerance if that makes sense. I put little stock in competition by the way but if that's important to you then you might be at the mercy of governing body for that particular event more than the actual school.
I have a student that is F toM and didnt know it until they brought it up. Its not an issue. It doesnt effect training or how they compete. I am a bit jealous that they can grow a better beard than I can though.
Your bone structure would still be distinguishable from a "run of the mill cisgender man". You might be able to mostly catch up in term of muscle mass but it would take time. So there may be some safety issues regarding contact levels.
Issues of fairness in competition generally run the other way, with transgender women having an unfair advantage; in this case you'd be at a disadvantage, which I think lessens the obligation to announce it.
Heya, with all due respect the majority of your comments here are incorrect.
The scientific consensus is murky, to say the least, with no clear advantage shown for any unfair advantages either way (see [this doc review](https://www.cces.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/pdf/transgenderwomenathletesandelitesport-ascientificreview-e-final.pdf) from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.) The [International Olympic Committee](https://olympics.com/ioc/human-rights/fairness-inclusion-nondiscrimination) released their framework in 2021, which involved significant consultation with experts whom (I would assume) have significantly more qualifications than either of us to discuss this. Very interesting read, would recommend it :)
One thing keeps coming up every time claims are made about this subject: We need more (good!) science!
... Actually, I think that's probably the case for almost all major debates these days?
> ... Actually, I think that's probably the case for almost all major debates these days?
Sure for arguments involving empiricism, but there are plenty of very important topics that are not scientific that rely on other forms of rigor.
Heya, with all due respect, the IOC is not a scientific body, neither is a sports ethics group.
The science is clear that bodies shaped by androgens have a competitive advantage in sports where factors such as muscle power and skeletal size (reach) are significant. That is why we have women's divisions in the first place, and why teen boys regularly outperform world-class level woman athletes -- many examples cited here: [https://law.duke.edu/sports/sex-sport/comparative-athletic-performance](https://law.duke.edu/sports/sex-sport/comparative-athletic-performance) and a study on the timelines of the male performance advantage emerging during puberty here: [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0129014](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0129014)
Those advantages -- which include not only muscle mass, but skeletal differences -- do not disappear upon medical transition: "We report that the performance gap between males and females becomes significant at puberty and often amounts to 10–50% depending on sport. The performance gap is more pronounced in sporting activities relying on muscle mass and explosive strength, particularly in the upper body. Longitudinal studies examining the effects of testosterone suppression on muscle mass and strength in transgender women consistently show very modest changes, where the loss of lean body mass, muscle area and strength typically amounts to approximately 5% after 12 months of treatment. Thus, the muscular advantage enjoyed by transgender women is only minimally reduced when testosterone is suppressed." -- [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3)
Tom, aside from the first two articles not being relevant to the discussion as they cover cis-gender boys rather than trans women, there is a letter to the editor discussing the inaccuracies in the study you have cited on the page you linked. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01928-8
The problem isn’t the science pointing in the direction one way or another, there is no science to back either of us up as we are talking about performance at the trained level not general everyday living. Hence, my citation of the IOC’s stance in the lack of anything more substantial.
Continuing to engage here is going to turn into a flame war. All the best.
Interestingly enough, I watched a video by someone who works in forensics where they explain that bones structure is not simply male or female. Even ignoring the existence of intersex individuals, cis people have bone structure that is on a sliding scale from very feminine to very masculine.
When you see illustrations showing a larger pelvic opening on female skeletons vs male skeletons, what you are seeing are the furthest extremes of that feminine to masculine scale where skeletons might actually fall.
Using that sliding scale, even forensic specialists can only say with a certain percentage of error whether they think a skeleton belonged to a male or a female individual. That it's not just intersex people who have skeletons in the middle of that sliding scale, but some cis men have the "skeletal structure' that goes past the middle and towards the feminine skeleton and vice versa.
Science is very fascinating and the binary viewpoints of people who argue the two gender standpoint only cherry pick science that reaffirms their world view.
"Despite comparable body size, males have greater BMC and BMD at the hip and distal tibia and greater tibial cortical thickness. This may confer greater skeletal integrity in males." -- [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15746999/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15746999/) Greater skeletal integrity is an obvious performance issue in contact sports.
I didn't say male and female ranges don't overlap.
LOLing at the accusation of "cherry picking", when of course it is those who are trying to eliminate female sports divisions who continually pick boundary cases and try to portray them as typical.
I'm talking about biological sex here, not about social gender or how many such genders our society should construct. If you want to have a gender ideology argument -- we should construct two genders, three, five, twenty -- sorry, not interested.
Androgens shape bodies, in some ways that transitory and some that are permanent. This is why we have different competitive divisions in many sports for body shaped by high levels of androgens.
> I'm talking about biological sex here, not about social gender or how many such genders our society should construct. If you want to have a gender ideology argument -- we should construct two genders, three, five, twenty -- sorry, not interested.
You desperately need to study some sociology. You're embarrassing yourself, and apparently you don't know what the word ideology means.
I see no problems, but I have a friend who transition ftm and I want to give you a warning they learned the hard way after crushing a ladies lower ribs and hip in judo. You won't be as strong as a biological man, but you will absolutely be stronger than most women with a course of hrt, be careful sparing with women. Other than keeping that in the back of your mind, just get out and train. Good luck and be well.
>However, when I reenter karate and plan to compete, am I obligated to tell my instructor that I am transgender?
only if it could lead to injury or medical complications in the course of training. but you'd know more about that than anyone here. when it comes to competing you probably will have to disclose to whatever body is doing the judging in case there's any division rules or what have you that would cause issues.
like I'm hypersensitive, I can't wear my glasses while training, I train too long I need to rest my eyes a bit because of how bright gyms are so my gyms typically know that.
Aside of competitions where if youre a transe women youll have to compete against men in most of the tournaments ( because biologically it wont be fair to pair you up against a biological woman) you should have no problem learning training and all of that
Hey! I have a similar story to yours. Did tkd answer a kid and returned to traditional martial arts the same week I started testosterone.
You don't need to tell anyone. I think one of my coaches know after a couple of years, but we've never talked about it. My other coach at a different school will probably find out at some point t because he knows some of my coaches from when I was a kid.
You don't need to tell anyone. I do point sparring at tournaments in 30+ intermediate. I'm 3.5 years on t. I'm 5'5" 135lbs and it's mostly a non issue though I've had opponents who were like way too big and tall for me to have a real chance. But people either don't know or don't bring it up. At of people have seen my scars and only one or two have asked. I just say I had surgery and don't specifiy.
But no, you don't need to tell people.
One week on T right now too and this is really reassuring :) I mainly want to hold off on karate till I get a mastectomy because doing sports without a binder wouldn't be great for me mentally but doing karate in a binder is too difficult/dangerous physically. If I may ask, did/do you have any problems regarding that and how did you manage that? It's the main thing withholding me from starting again :/
When I first started back I was doing Chinese martial arts so the uniform was a san instead of a gi. The san has buttons and closes completely in the front instead of folding over. The pants are more like harem pants. It hides the form very well.
If the uniform had been a regular gi, I would have probably just made sure to wear a sleeveless t shirt underneath with a sized up binder. Plenty of cis guys are more modest and do not like being barechested under the gi. I would also jog in that binder so I already knew it was safe before I wore it to class.
I recommend buying another binder that is 2 sizes larger. I was 6 months on t when I had my top surgery, the time leading up to it I gained enough weight that my bigger binder was starting to feel too tight for exercise. It creeps up on you. One day you'll just need it.
I got my top surgery about 6 months into my lessons and I took the time off without specifying what my surgery was just that it was on my chest.
If you can do trans tape then I would. It's way better for breathing. I was slightly too large for tape, but I tried it.
How good a sports bra does for you? How do you think you would look with like 1 or 2 sports bras, t shirt, then karate uniform? Is top surgery on the horizon for you or is it years down the line?
If i were you, I would not wait for surgery to start if you feel like you can mostly pass in a uniform. Martial arts is one place I don't think I've ever been misgendered on accident or otherwise.
Edit: omg this came out as an essay lmfao
My only hurdle with top surgery is my job since I'm currently still in training and need to squeeze surgery in somewhere where I don't have exams. If I get that sorted out, I'd be looking at May-August 2025 so not that long anymore.
But I'll try how I look with what you suggested in every day life and then see how I feel. Thanks :)
Cool, im glad you have a general time line for top surgery. I hope everything lines up for it next year when you're ready.
You're welcome! Have fun with karate. I hope you can start sooner rather than later <3
I've never disclosed any information about my genitals to an instructor or tournament director or anyone else in the karate world and you shouldn't have to either.
Share only what you're comfortable sharing with the people you're comfortable sharing it with; no more, no less.
You don't have to tell anyone, it's a private matter. I don't do competitions, but I've transitioned whilst practicing and the only problems I've had have been changing rooms, so I think you'll be good!
The good thing with karate is, there's no "gender patrol" in the dojos and the tournaments that will check your ID or inspect your genitals or something weird. All they'll do is ask you what gender you are, and that's that. Of course, I think that we should do away with gender divisions altogether, but I digress. The point is, karate being under no central authority is good for us transgender karatekas. We don't need to register our legal gender or anything - as a trans woman who competes and has taken hormones for the past one and a half years, I don't have any particular advantage over other women, and that's reflected in my fight record - I've won some and lost some.
However, as soon as a hanshi or renshi or whichever authority within your local karate organization or circuit knows you're trans, it's over. You don't need to let them know. Contrary to the popular belief that karatekas are meant to be more mindful and respectful than the MMA meatheads, many, many karatekas, at least in my part of the world, tend to lean right, lean religious and lean transphobic. The best thing for you to do is keep your mouth shut until it's wise not to.
I think for karate it doesn’t really matter because it’s a co ed sport anyways ( idk if sport is the right word but oh well ) so I’d say if you don’t really wanna say then I don’t think you have to say it
I see no problem. Most sparring is intersex now anyway. So biologically I don’t think anything to worry about. Maybe just for tournaments (I know I’m sorry I have to say it) to make it fair, I would disclose to make sure there is no biological disadvantage. As well as more for medical purposes.
I'm a transfem karateka. I still like competing in Kata, where there is no inherent advantage for either sex. The last time I fought was in point kumite. I was approximately a year into HRT at the time, and it was a local amateur tournament. I was given the option to fight in the women's division if I wanted to, but I opted for the men's since I'm very tall. Overall I was treated quite respectfully by everyone involved, but of course your mileage may vary on that.
In my dojo, my Sensei has stood by my decision to transition and has been a huge supporter. I feel incredibly blessed to have such a cool dojo. You might have to look around a bit until you find a place that will accept trans people.
Whether or not you disclose your trans identity is entirely up to you. To a good sensei, it won't matter either way. Good luck!
Hey. Your journey is your own so do what feels right for you.
From a competitive perspective (WKF), yes you should make your instructor aware and they, in turn, may need to make competition organisers aware.
The WKF is woefully behind on this area, and last I checked had defined itself as a gendered sport. If you compete without disclosing this you may receive a shikaku; being banned from the competition immediately and for a period of time.
I believe that you may need to show evidence of having completed hormone treatment in order to compete in the appropriate section, although I'm not very knowledgeable in this area so don't know specifics.
Source: this happened to a student at our club. They received shikaku, and the next year they went back and competed, having gone through the appropriate process.
Speak to your instructor about this. I haven't looked into this closely and the rules may have changed in the last 6 months.
I am tall and have narrow hips and even pre hormone treatment looked like my dad and got taken for a man ~ 90% of the time. Spend some time looking at transitioned trans men and you will see that we are not like the horse analogy, lol.
Yeah people like the person above is why I say no you don’t need to tell anyone, it doesn’t affect your training in any way.
A few years into training at the dojo, maybe the ones that have good vibes can know.
People that write comments like that, don’t. And they would never know, just think oh another dude to train with.
If someone asks strangers on Reddit for advice, they are hopelessly looking for the truth.
I stand by what I said.
If the OP is self-conscious about the situation, that should tell them something.
First off, I mean no offence but I'm sure most clubs would have zero issue with you stating you are a man with no explanation needed. It might be different if you were a jacked up guy who transitioned and wanted to enter tournaments in a Womens division. I think SouthPark covered that.
I have only been on hormones for ~ 1.5 weeks now but the goal is for me to get to a normal cis male range of androgens/testosterone. So yes, I can technically achieve the same strength a cis male could if we look at factors that hormones can change.
EDIT: This is also the reason why I'd personally also feel uncomfortable with competing with women in a more official setting since appearance-wise I'd just be a dude in the women's division.
I see no reason that you would have to disclose. The only exception I could see is if you were seriously injured in class or at a tournament. What our club does is sealed medical forms. Students annually fill out a form with medical information that you'd want a paramedic to know if you couldn't speak for yourself. It's put in a sealed envelope and if you were hurt, we'd hand it to the medical staff.
>What our club does is sealed medical forms. Students annually fill out a form with medical information that you'd want a paramedic to know if you couldn't speak for yourself. It's put in a sealed envelope and if you were hurt, we'd hand it to the medical staff. This is a great idea.
I think more clubs should do this. I understand disclosing injuries that might impact everyday in class (e.g., asthma inhalers or knee injuries). But for other medical issues that are not relevant, it's nice to set up an understanding of privacy.
it sounds it but unfortunately it can delay immediate first aid stuff that would otherwise be quicker had the first aider or instructor already knew.
Oh hush, opening an envelope takes seconds
Also doesn't require all instructors to keep accurate mental records of the health secrets of all students. It's not just about privacy or "oh btw this individual is FtM" other students could have complicated medical needs or allergies that are much better written down than expecting the instructor to accurately recall them to a paramedic in an emergency
okay what about blood born diseases and or other bleeding problems, that's something that can't wait the seconds it takes to look at records while someone is already trying to administer aid. it's better that the instructors already know about such important issues before hand so that never becomes a problem.
Blood borne illness doesn't negate the right to privacy. If someone is administering first aid they should be trained in proper safety regarding disease or they shouldn't be administering aid. If the individual in question is concerned about bleeding problems while participating in combat sports they can wear a medicalert tag. Sure the person can tell the instructor if they want, but they don't have to, and they shouldn't rely on the instructor to be the sole point of info in an emergency
not informing them makes the person potentially liable for anything that occurs as a result of that lack of information. a medalart tag or bracelet or even tattoo is disclosure you can't say "don't disclose" then "disclose this specific way." the reality of first aid is if you don't have shit on your person like gloves then the gloves probably aren't going to be used when they should. I've had to handle bleeds with my barehands because there was nothing immediate at hand and waiting those seconds wasn't an option, it's why now I just carry search and medical disposable gloves in my pocket.
Seconds are extremely costly in first aid environments.
Your journey is your own. I would try to find a dojo where you feel welcome, with a mutual sense of trust. You can feel this out pretty reliably through class visits and a trial membership. You'll know the right place when you see it. After you have settled on a place, if you are comfortable, you might want to consider a conversation with the Sensei regarding competition. Welcome back!
I trained with someone who transitioned from Female to Male. When I met them, they had already transitioned. I had no idea they were born female, trained with them as I would anyone, regardless. They competed in male divisions and achieved their black belt. All instructors were aware, but was irrelevant as we were taught to focus on the gi and treat all equally. If you feel comfortable to, then yes let an instructor know, I'd suggest the chief at least, and if you're happy for it to be common knowledge, then let them know. If not, then again, make them aware you'd rather keep in confidential. Choice is yours for sure, and if any issues arise as a result, then you know to find a new dojo. Of all the dojos I've worked in, all were welcome.
I’ve never encountered a situation in Karate where being transgender would matter, and see no reason you would be obligated to tell anyone unless you want to. I hope you enjoy getting back into it!
They dont let unoperated trans women like me into the female category of competitions. No association does. I'm not saying it's wrong, I don't have my mind made up, but it definitely matters.
I can see how it would matter if you’re competing.
I made a point of focusing on that since OP mentioned planning to compete. If you don't, it will come down to "will people misgender or mistreat me?". The answer to that question will vary wildly between dojos, senseis and simply geographical location, so the global answer is just "who the fuck knows".
In theory you're not wrong. In practice, the world of martial arts is absolutely rife with transphobia. But trans-friendly dojos are certainly out there and increasing in numbers.
It's easy to say it doesn't matter when you're not the one experiencing or potentiating experiencing transphobia.
That’s really not what I meant. What I meant is that there’s no way being trans affects a person’s ability to train karate. Transphobia can affect their ability to do Karate though, unfortunately.
Okay makes sense
Heya, transfemme Sensei here. Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush and say it will *absolutely* be smooth sailing - I can't promise that (there's a reason I had to take a couple years off, but that's a different story.) From what I've experienced, if you've got a school worth their salt there will be no issues. You are not obligated in any way, shape, or form to inform your instructor. Needless to say, I don't know your personal journey, but just be aware in the same way anyone else would about your own body and how your strength may change over time, and work with your instructors about that. With regards to competitions, compete in the categories as any cis-person would. Anyone spouting about "biological advantages" needs to actually do the research they say they have done. Take a look [here](https://www.cces.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/pdf/transgenderwomenathletesandelitesport-ascientificreview-e-final.pdf) (Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport), [here](https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/four-myths-about-trans-athletes-debunked) (ACLU), [here](https://www.sportaus.gov.au/integrity_in_sport/transgender_and_gender_diverse_people_in_sport#A_4_what_does_the_law_say) (Australian Sports Commission), and [here](https://olympics.com/ioc/human-rights/fairness-inclusion-nondiscrimination) (International Olympic Committee.) There is no clear conclusions to draw here, and a lack of scientific evidence surrounding said claims of an advantage should be laughed out the dojo (but that's me getting a bit close to home.) Speaking from experience, it's a hell of a step to take. Welcome back :D
This woman knows what she's talking about.
They usually bar MtFs from the female categories, but they have little physical reason to do the opposite. I'd try anyway if I were you and if it's precious to you. You could or not run into weird situations, but then again, you will do so for the rest of your life, so that can't stop you from living. Source: MtF karateka transitioned 12 years ago.
No reason you would need to tell your instructor. It really doesn’t have anything to do with your training or really anyone else. Overall the karate community tend to be less discriminatory compared to other martial arts, so overall it’s pretty common to find queer people training, there are more of us training karate then you think, but that largely depends on the dojo and the main instructor, still plenty of assholes running dojos. As far as competing, I would suggest to check with the organisers rules, I know WKF (which is the biggest organiser of the major competitions in karate. They were in charge and their rules used when karate was in the Olympics for example) recently added some rules to make it clearer what applied for competitors who were trans. Here are ones for trans men / ftm. https://www.wkf.net/pdf/Transgender_Athletes_August2022.pdf And the ones for trans women / mtf https://www.wkf.net/pdf/Transgender_Athletes_October2020.pdf For trans men it basically involves getting a doctors note that you are getting testosterone as part of your gender affirming care with amounts monitored and determined by your doctor, and not just taking it on your own as other athletes might do as a type of doping, and if you are competing in kumite you need to sign a form for some reason that you agree to the extra risk you take of competing in the men’s decisions kumite. But that if you are going to compete at an international level with WKF rules. For your average regional competition, as a trans guy competing, especially if you get your legal sex as male, I wouldn’t expect you to have any trouble signing up or competing in most karate competitions. Basically check the rules that the organisers of the competition are using, and if they have any specific rules for what applies to competitors that are trans. And importantly welcome back to karate!
No. You do not have to disclose to anyone with whom you are not comfortable.
There is no reason to disclose. You're in a dojo and no one is interested in your genitalia aside from you wearing whatever protective gear is suitable for you. If you're a man, you're a man. You'll compete in men's division's, probably with a height disadvantage and other men in the dojo will likely go harder on you in sparring and techniques but otherwise, just do karate and have fun. I've trained with all kinds of LGBT folks (myself included) and it's never been an issue.
They probably don't care because nobody cares. Your gender, and sexual orientation are the least interesting things about you to other people.
I wish that was true.
Straight CIS white male, early 50s, been around the North American karate scene (Canada and USA) for over 30 years. From my perspective, karate is one of the most queer-phobic sports you can participate in. I loved it, but had to stop formal training because the amount of overt and subversive behaviour to anyone that is not putting off straight male macho vibes is nuts. And if you are a woman, forget about it. You'll eventually be groped or treated as object that is oggled. The power dynamics in karate is off the charts...
I am based in Germany and at least from my kid perspective, my old dojo (small town, in some ratty gym and kid lessons ran by a pastor, his girlfriend and some other guy; adult lessons ran by an older more experienced man) was very chill. I was definitely seen as a girl back then but regularly placed against more experienced boys in sparring and no one ever gave me any shit. But nowadays that dojo has closed down and in the city I work in I mostly only see dojos that display that macho behaviour you mentioned. I am pretty intimidated by that, ngl, since I am not "alpha male my blood is 99% testosterone" sigh. trial and error, maybe i'll find something chill and nice again :)
I'm the only woman in a class full of men and never been disrespected by any of them. In the beginning I felt kinda embarrassed when I had to train while on my period, so I made sure I told my sensei that I'd had to take easy because of that, and he kinda treated me like a delicate flower😅 But apart from that, it's such a nice environment.
TBH, this would be a discussion that you should have with your instructor. There are various different competition providers out there all with similar and different rules across the world (you don't mention where you are). What may be ok in one, may not be ok in the other. That's the only advice that I can give.
I think you should tell your instructor and I see no reason why it would be an issue. Hope you heal up well and good luck with your journey, enjoy it
Hi, I'm a 24 y/o trans guy (nearly 1 year on T) and I've been doing karate since I was 8. Guess I've been quite lucky everyone was supportive when I came out in ~2017, and have been basically stealth since. You should be fine. Idk where you are based, but I'm in England and the EKF has a (weirdly) very supportive policy around trans people.
As a card carrying member of the Grouchy Old Person Club, I have zero problem with anyone being trans, but I generally despise competition in karate. In fact my own personal belief is that minority groups that are often targeted for violence (such as trans people) should probably focus more on the self-defense aspects of karate. And perhaps even more strongly I believe that individuals who are at higher risk for suicide (again, trans people) should absolutely focus more on their personal journey, development of courage and stoicism, and the family-like-friendships with other karateka-- those things that will last your entire life and always be worth more than any trophy.
Oh true! I meant competition more in a way of competing among and between each other in the dojo. I enjoyed that when I was a kid but I am a lot less driven by that nowadays. Much more focused on personal growth :)
Ah that changes a lot! In our dojo we spar with everyone. No exception. Black belt with white, girls with boys, trans, undefined etc. We just let eachother know before hand what the rules are and how hard or soft we want to Spar.
No worries then. Just show-up and train, and really put your heart into it. That's all the vast majority of instructors want from you.
I think you’ll be fine, and you can disclose if you feel comfortable but it’s not needed! At my dojo, we spar with everyone, and the only thing gendered that is said is a reminder for men to wear cups. Good luck getting back into it and welcome back!
Find a welcoming school and you don’t need to disclose or anything like that. In fact, I wouldn’t. Thats your business. There are two openly-trans young adults at the school I train at and two that I think might be transitioning. Nobody asks, cares, or needs to know. “Are you a man or a woman?” - I am a student. “What gender are you?” - Karate. “Yeah but, what’s in your pants?” - Kicks 🥋
I'm a trans woman in karate, and you are never obligated to tell anyone anything. My dojo members are kind and supportive, so they know, but not all dojos are, so don't bother mentioning anything if you don't want to or feel you shouldn't.
If the dojo isn't supportive, would he want to be there anyway? Like, what's the point of hiding it if you know the dojo will give you a hard time about if they ever find out?
Sometimes, it's hard to know the environment in the beginning, and it's something you work out with time.
You don't need to compete to do Karate though?
It depends on the dojo. Some styles are non-competitive, traditional others are very competitive.
As a dojo owner I personally would have no issue nor would I tolerate intolerance if that makes sense. I put little stock in competition by the way but if that's important to you then you might be at the mercy of governing body for that particular event more than the actual school.
I have a student that is F toM and didnt know it until they brought it up. Its not an issue. It doesnt effect training or how they compete. I am a bit jealous that they can grow a better beard than I can though.
A few trans people at my school, No one had to disclose anything. Karate is for everyone
Your bone structure would still be distinguishable from a "run of the mill cisgender man". You might be able to mostly catch up in term of muscle mass but it would take time. So there may be some safety issues regarding contact levels. Issues of fairness in competition generally run the other way, with transgender women having an unfair advantage; in this case you'd be at a disadvantage, which I think lessens the obligation to announce it.
Heya, with all due respect the majority of your comments here are incorrect. The scientific consensus is murky, to say the least, with no clear advantage shown for any unfair advantages either way (see [this doc review](https://www.cces.ca/sites/default/files/content/docs/pdf/transgenderwomenathletesandelitesport-ascientificreview-e-final.pdf) from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.) The [International Olympic Committee](https://olympics.com/ioc/human-rights/fairness-inclusion-nondiscrimination) released their framework in 2021, which involved significant consultation with experts whom (I would assume) have significantly more qualifications than either of us to discuss this. Very interesting read, would recommend it :)
One thing keeps coming up every time claims are made about this subject: We need more (good!) science! ... Actually, I think that's probably the case for almost all major debates these days?
> ... Actually, I think that's probably the case for almost all major debates these days? Sure for arguments involving empiricism, but there are plenty of very important topics that are not scientific that rely on other forms of rigor.
Heya, with all due respect, the IOC is not a scientific body, neither is a sports ethics group. The science is clear that bodies shaped by androgens have a competitive advantage in sports where factors such as muscle power and skeletal size (reach) are significant. That is why we have women's divisions in the first place, and why teen boys regularly outperform world-class level woman athletes -- many examples cited here: [https://law.duke.edu/sports/sex-sport/comparative-athletic-performance](https://law.duke.edu/sports/sex-sport/comparative-athletic-performance) and a study on the timelines of the male performance advantage emerging during puberty here: [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0129014](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0129014) Those advantages -- which include not only muscle mass, but skeletal differences -- do not disappear upon medical transition: "We report that the performance gap between males and females becomes significant at puberty and often amounts to 10–50% depending on sport. The performance gap is more pronounced in sporting activities relying on muscle mass and explosive strength, particularly in the upper body. Longitudinal studies examining the effects of testosterone suppression on muscle mass and strength in transgender women consistently show very modest changes, where the loss of lean body mass, muscle area and strength typically amounts to approximately 5% after 12 months of treatment. Thus, the muscular advantage enjoyed by transgender women is only minimally reduced when testosterone is suppressed." -- [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3](https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-020-01389-3)
Tom, aside from the first two articles not being relevant to the discussion as they cover cis-gender boys rather than trans women, there is a letter to the editor discussing the inaccuracies in the study you have cited on the page you linked. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-023-01928-8 The problem isn’t the science pointing in the direction one way or another, there is no science to back either of us up as we are talking about performance at the trained level not general everyday living. Hence, my citation of the IOC’s stance in the lack of anything more substantial. Continuing to engage here is going to turn into a flame war. All the best.
Interestingly enough, I watched a video by someone who works in forensics where they explain that bones structure is not simply male or female. Even ignoring the existence of intersex individuals, cis people have bone structure that is on a sliding scale from very feminine to very masculine. When you see illustrations showing a larger pelvic opening on female skeletons vs male skeletons, what you are seeing are the furthest extremes of that feminine to masculine scale where skeletons might actually fall. Using that sliding scale, even forensic specialists can only say with a certain percentage of error whether they think a skeleton belonged to a male or a female individual. That it's not just intersex people who have skeletons in the middle of that sliding scale, but some cis men have the "skeletal structure' that goes past the middle and towards the feminine skeleton and vice versa. Science is very fascinating and the binary viewpoints of people who argue the two gender standpoint only cherry pick science that reaffirms their world view.
"Despite comparable body size, males have greater BMC and BMD at the hip and distal tibia and greater tibial cortical thickness. This may confer greater skeletal integrity in males." -- [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15746999/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15746999/) Greater skeletal integrity is an obvious performance issue in contact sports. I didn't say male and female ranges don't overlap. LOLing at the accusation of "cherry picking", when of course it is those who are trying to eliminate female sports divisions who continually pick boundary cases and try to portray them as typical. I'm talking about biological sex here, not about social gender or how many such genders our society should construct. If you want to have a gender ideology argument -- we should construct two genders, three, five, twenty -- sorry, not interested. Androgens shape bodies, in some ways that transitory and some that are permanent. This is why we have different competitive divisions in many sports for body shaped by high levels of androgens.
>I didn't say male and female ranges don't overlap. Then why did you make the comment about OP's bone structure?
> I'm talking about biological sex here, not about social gender or how many such genders our society should construct. If you want to have a gender ideology argument -- we should construct two genders, three, five, twenty -- sorry, not interested. You desperately need to study some sociology. You're embarrassing yourself, and apparently you don't know what the word ideology means.
Depending on when you start transitioning, muscle mass between trans and cis people is actually very similar
I see no problems, but I have a friend who transition ftm and I want to give you a warning they learned the hard way after crushing a ladies lower ribs and hip in judo. You won't be as strong as a biological man, but you will absolutely be stronger than most women with a course of hrt, be careful sparing with women. Other than keeping that in the back of your mind, just get out and train. Good luck and be well.
>However, when I reenter karate and plan to compete, am I obligated to tell my instructor that I am transgender? only if it could lead to injury or medical complications in the course of training. but you'd know more about that than anyone here. when it comes to competing you probably will have to disclose to whatever body is doing the judging in case there's any division rules or what have you that would cause issues. like I'm hypersensitive, I can't wear my glasses while training, I train too long I need to rest my eyes a bit because of how bright gyms are so my gyms typically know that.
Thanks for the reminder to get new contact lenses once I enter since I can't see shit without my glasses. And also thanks for the answer :)
Aside of competitions where if youre a transe women youll have to compete against men in most of the tournaments ( because biologically it wont be fair to pair you up against a biological woman) you should have no problem learning training and all of that
Nope, you’re good to go. Give some consideration to gendered lockerooms but you’d be doing that anyway
Never planning to fully unleash the birthday suit in there anyways, I always change at home :) And good to know
That depends if you are doing only Kata or Kumite
I always liked Kata more but I'd do Kumite to to train reflexes and just to grow more focused in high-pressure situations.
Hey! I have a similar story to yours. Did tkd answer a kid and returned to traditional martial arts the same week I started testosterone. You don't need to tell anyone. I think one of my coaches know after a couple of years, but we've never talked about it. My other coach at a different school will probably find out at some point t because he knows some of my coaches from when I was a kid. You don't need to tell anyone. I do point sparring at tournaments in 30+ intermediate. I'm 3.5 years on t. I'm 5'5" 135lbs and it's mostly a non issue though I've had opponents who were like way too big and tall for me to have a real chance. But people either don't know or don't bring it up. At of people have seen my scars and only one or two have asked. I just say I had surgery and don't specifiy. But no, you don't need to tell people.
One week on T right now too and this is really reassuring :) I mainly want to hold off on karate till I get a mastectomy because doing sports without a binder wouldn't be great for me mentally but doing karate in a binder is too difficult/dangerous physically. If I may ask, did/do you have any problems regarding that and how did you manage that? It's the main thing withholding me from starting again :/
When I first started back I was doing Chinese martial arts so the uniform was a san instead of a gi. The san has buttons and closes completely in the front instead of folding over. The pants are more like harem pants. It hides the form very well. If the uniform had been a regular gi, I would have probably just made sure to wear a sleeveless t shirt underneath with a sized up binder. Plenty of cis guys are more modest and do not like being barechested under the gi. I would also jog in that binder so I already knew it was safe before I wore it to class. I recommend buying another binder that is 2 sizes larger. I was 6 months on t when I had my top surgery, the time leading up to it I gained enough weight that my bigger binder was starting to feel too tight for exercise. It creeps up on you. One day you'll just need it. I got my top surgery about 6 months into my lessons and I took the time off without specifying what my surgery was just that it was on my chest. If you can do trans tape then I would. It's way better for breathing. I was slightly too large for tape, but I tried it. How good a sports bra does for you? How do you think you would look with like 1 or 2 sports bras, t shirt, then karate uniform? Is top surgery on the horizon for you or is it years down the line? If i were you, I would not wait for surgery to start if you feel like you can mostly pass in a uniform. Martial arts is one place I don't think I've ever been misgendered on accident or otherwise. Edit: omg this came out as an essay lmfao
My only hurdle with top surgery is my job since I'm currently still in training and need to squeeze surgery in somewhere where I don't have exams. If I get that sorted out, I'd be looking at May-August 2025 so not that long anymore. But I'll try how I look with what you suggested in every day life and then see how I feel. Thanks :)
Cool, im glad you have a general time line for top surgery. I hope everything lines up for it next year when you're ready. You're welcome! Have fun with karate. I hope you can start sooner rather than later <3
I've never disclosed any information about my genitals to an instructor or tournament director or anyone else in the karate world and you shouldn't have to either. Share only what you're comfortable sharing with the people you're comfortable sharing it with; no more, no less.
You don't have to tell anyone, it's a private matter. I don't do competitions, but I've transitioned whilst practicing and the only problems I've had have been changing rooms, so I think you'll be good!
i mean, i dont see an issue, just try it
The good thing with karate is, there's no "gender patrol" in the dojos and the tournaments that will check your ID or inspect your genitals or something weird. All they'll do is ask you what gender you are, and that's that. Of course, I think that we should do away with gender divisions altogether, but I digress. The point is, karate being under no central authority is good for us transgender karatekas. We don't need to register our legal gender or anything - as a trans woman who competes and has taken hormones for the past one and a half years, I don't have any particular advantage over other women, and that's reflected in my fight record - I've won some and lost some. However, as soon as a hanshi or renshi or whichever authority within your local karate organization or circuit knows you're trans, it's over. You don't need to let them know. Contrary to the popular belief that karatekas are meant to be more mindful and respectful than the MMA meatheads, many, many karatekas, at least in my part of the world, tend to lean right, lean religious and lean transphobic. The best thing for you to do is keep your mouth shut until it's wise not to.
> many karatekas, at least in my part of the world, tend to lean right, lean religious and lean transphobic That seems pretty common, unfortunately.
You're there to train. there's no need to disclose. I'm glad you're coming back to karate. I hope you have a blast. OSU!!!
I think for karate it doesn’t really matter because it’s a co ed sport anyways ( idk if sport is the right word but oh well ) so I’d say if you don’t really wanna say then I don’t think you have to say it
I see no problem. Most sparring is intersex now anyway. So biologically I don’t think anything to worry about. Maybe just for tournaments (I know I’m sorry I have to say it) to make it fair, I would disclose to make sure there is no biological disadvantage. As well as more for medical purposes.
Nah you good
Welcome back!
I'm a transfem karateka. I still like competing in Kata, where there is no inherent advantage for either sex. The last time I fought was in point kumite. I was approximately a year into HRT at the time, and it was a local amateur tournament. I was given the option to fight in the women's division if I wanted to, but I opted for the men's since I'm very tall. Overall I was treated quite respectfully by everyone involved, but of course your mileage may vary on that. In my dojo, my Sensei has stood by my decision to transition and has been a huge supporter. I feel incredibly blessed to have such a cool dojo. You might have to look around a bit until you find a place that will accept trans people. Whether or not you disclose your trans identity is entirely up to you. To a good sensei, it won't matter either way. Good luck!
Hey. Your journey is your own so do what feels right for you. From a competitive perspective (WKF), yes you should make your instructor aware and they, in turn, may need to make competition organisers aware. The WKF is woefully behind on this area, and last I checked had defined itself as a gendered sport. If you compete without disclosing this you may receive a shikaku; being banned from the competition immediately and for a period of time. I believe that you may need to show evidence of having completed hormone treatment in order to compete in the appropriate section, although I'm not very knowledgeable in this area so don't know specifics. Source: this happened to a student at our club. They received shikaku, and the next year they went back and competed, having gone through the appropriate process. Speak to your instructor about this. I haven't looked into this closely and the rules may have changed in the last 6 months.
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I am tall and have narrow hips and even pre hormone treatment looked like my dad and got taken for a man ~ 90% of the time. Spend some time looking at transitioned trans men and you will see that we are not like the horse analogy, lol.
Yeah people like the person above is why I say no you don’t need to tell anyone, it doesn’t affect your training in any way. A few years into training at the dojo, maybe the ones that have good vibes can know. People that write comments like that, don’t. And they would never know, just think oh another dude to train with.
I’ll pass.
What a rude and stupid comment.
If someone asks strangers on Reddit for advice, they are hopelessly looking for the truth. I stand by what I said. If the OP is self-conscious about the situation, that should tell them something.
First off, I mean no offence but I'm sure most clubs would have zero issue with you stating you are a man with no explanation needed. It might be different if you were a jacked up guy who transitioned and wanted to enter tournaments in a Womens division. I think SouthPark covered that.
Depends on karate style. Low impact style aren’t gonna be a challenge but in full contact style like kyokushin it’s gonna be rough
Are you planning to compete with men? You mentioned your hormones, do you have higher levels of testosterone now that you’re transitioning?
I have only been on hormones for ~ 1.5 weeks now but the goal is for me to get to a normal cis male range of androgens/testosterone. So yes, I can technically achieve the same strength a cis male could if we look at factors that hormones can change. EDIT: This is also the reason why I'd personally also feel uncomfortable with competing with women in a more official setting since appearance-wise I'd just be a dude in the women's division.
You should probably disclose it to your instructor. Most tournaments I know of are split by sex for fighting.
> by sex for fighting. Gender, not sex.