‘It is OK to Call Out Sexism in Kendo’ by Kate Sylvester.

It is OK to Call Out Sexism in Kendo by Kate Sylvester.

A few months ago, I published an anonymously penned essay titled “Is it OK to Call Out Sexism in Kendo?” The essay shared the author’s experience of sexism in kendo and the negative impact the experience had had on her confidence and motivation to practise kendo. The author’s story revealed her courage through firstly, describing her perspective on the process of lodging a complaint with kendo federation about a sexist comment made about women’s kendo in a public space, and secondly, how she persevered with seeking appropriate reparation despite a dissuasive pressure from leadership within the federation to accept a form of an apology that she felt was undermined the extent of the sexism. For the author, the outcome of the case was positive due to her bravery and persistence. The male sensei was suspended from some activities for a period of time.

The disciplinary measure made a statement that sexist comments made about women in public kendo spaces is unacceptable and a breach of the membership policy. However, it is unclear whether the outcome will contribute towards cultural change within that particular kendo community based on how the complaint was handled by persons within the federation.

I originally published the essay to highlight the courage of the author and that it is critically important to speak up about sexism in kendo. Sexism is a problem in kendo and it is often minimised or overlooked as part of the “tradition” of kendo culture. I have personally been handed this reasoning to justify men’s sexist and predatory behaviour in kendo by women and men. The impact of sexism in kendo cannot be underestimated or downplayed. Many women have personally shared with me that they are often afraid to speak up about sexism as they are afraid of the repercussions. Whether they feel it may damage relationships, be embarrassing, or impact on their opportunities. There still seems to be a real lack of awareness on how sexism, even in its most subtle form, can negatively impact on women’s confidence and kendo development, and that it can lead to more serious problems such as bullying, sexual harassment/violence and so on.

To reiterate, the primary objective of publishing the essay, “Is it OK to Call Out Sexism in Kendo?”  was to show the bravery and tenacity of the author with the aim of inspiring others to speak up about sexism and through doing so contribute to cultural change within kendo. Publishing the author’s perspective did not intend to malign any person or federation. To safeguard this, I had de-identified the author and changed parts of her essay and personal history to protect her identity.

Although I de-identified the author and changed parts of her essay with the intent of it not being able to be connected to a real case, a person that had been involved in the case, contacted me and indirectly identified the author and implied that the essay was potentially a policy breach in reference to a confidentiality clause in the membership policy. Through our correspondence, it was unclear whether the person was acting in the best interest of the complainant or leadership within the federation. I became distressed by the correspondence and felt that my blogsite was in jeopardy and that further distress could be directed at the author. I therefore unpublished the article. Through unpublishing the article, I consented to being silenced and I colluded with silencing the author. I felt threatened and disempowered.

After listening to a podcast by Sara Ahmed on her new book Complaint! (2021, Duke University Press), I reflected on this experience and how the complaint process is silencing in kendo and many other ideologically male dominant organisations. Ahmed describes the institutional mechanics of complaint processes that causes complaints to be filed away out public site. I reflect that when complaints are silenced and anonymous narratives threatened with policy breach, complaint processes can not contribute to cultural change. Who or what is this process protecting? Those that should have behaved ethically in the first place? Or those that have been called out protecting their own comfortableness and positions through their attempts to silence complaints?

Ahmed further explains that people who are willing to reproduce the institution by not complaining, are given a route of access that will benefit from that reproduction. Complaint as non-reproductive labour, not reproducing the norms of an organisation culture, slows you down, gives you harder time to get a route through. People are discouraged to complain as it may affect position and opportunity. The complaint process could however act as a space of transformation.

As I mentioned earlier, a number of women feel they can not speak up about sexism in kendo for various reasons and in fear that it will negatively impact on their position, opportunity and, even personal safety. Personally, I often make the joke that I will never grade to 7 dan because of the work I do on raising awareness and women’s status in kendo. I feel strongly about the issue of sexism in kendo because I have observed and personally experienced the deleterious consequences of it and how it is silenced. I can not disclose the particulars of all instances as they are not all my stories to tell. At this stage, all I can do is channel this scorching energy to improve kendo culture. I am not the only woman who fears retribution for speaking up about sexism will affect their grading and other opportunities. The author of the essay, “Is it OK to Call Out Sexism in Kendo?” also shared this sentiment after having a conversation with a person from within the federation’s leadership.

I am continually disturbed by the coercive tactics employed by those in positions of power to silence unacceptable and hurtful behaviours. Silencing in this context, only protects harmful conduct and through such methods of pacification, the misconduct continues and stows away the trauma within those wounded by it.

I have more to write about on this topic as it is important to discuss the conduct of those in positions of power to work towards “unnaturalising” sexism and hierarchical power plays to shift kendo culture towards being a more inclusive, fair, and safe environment for all practitioners.  

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