The following is an excerpt from my book, Martial Arts America: A Western Approach to Eastern Arts (p.122).
Equality in martial art training begins with acceptance of this fact: physically, all are not created equal. If everyone was the same size and build, and came with the same physical attributes, teaching martial arts would be a lot easier. This is not, however, the case. Still, all students deserve the opportunity to train and study in an environment free of sexual advances, condescending attitudes, and macho behavior. A good teacher (and most teachers are male) can do much to encourage positive participation and discourage negative conduct on the part of his male students. But the responsibility for equality in training rests on more than just masculine shoulders. Female students have an equal responsibility. If female martial artists expect awareness and consideration of their feelings and their training needs from male instructors and training partners -- something they have every right to expect -- then they, in turn, have a responsibility to acknowledge and consider masculine needs as well.Acknowledging, accepting, and then training within the constraints of our differences is the only way that real inequality in training will ever disappear. Practical suggestions [like wearing breast and even groin protection so the female student can stand in as a male opponent suitable for male training partner] are just a start, but they are far more realistic than the rhetoric that routinely overshadows this issue. By beginning here, the male and female student alike can train equally, grow, and become the martial artist each is capable of becoming.