| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | ||
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1 | A list of publicly advertised self-defense & martial arts classes, that are for LGBTQIA+ students only, and are taught by LGBTQIA+ instructors. | Last updated 4/3/2025. Info is self-declared by each organization and is not verified by Traction Project; let us know if something needs updating. Sharing link: bit.ly/tractionlist | Traction Project's recommended curriculum for trans-fems who are BIPOC or sex workers (see traction-project.org/downloads for our curriculum): | Other items in the "Traction Score": | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Traction Score is these things -> | Teamwork Techniques | Inconspicuous Grappling | Intimidation & Fawning | Verbal Manipulation | Regular Sparring | Trans-fem Led* | BIPOC Led* | Isolated LGBTQ Timeslot | Trans Protocols | Accessible / Clean | Masked or Outdoors | Cost | ||||||||
3 | Traction Score | City | Project Title | Location | Frequency | Time | Instagram Contact | Notes | |||||||||||||
4 | 5 | Athens / online | Queer Liberation Martial Arts | online | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | free | @queerselfdefense | patreon.com/queerselfdefense | |||||||||
5 | 1 | Ashland Oregon | Women's BJJ | Ashland Hero Academy | yes | no | |||||||||||||||
6 | 10 | Atlanta | Knight Fight TSD | Team Lis Smash (East Atlanta Village) | every other Sunday (every Sunday starting 2025) | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | $10-$31 | @knight_fight_tsd | |||
7 | 7 | Atlanta (Lithonia) | Women's BJJ | Temporal Jiu Jitsu | Sundays | 10:00 AM | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | no, but big space w/airflow "grappling presents a challenge for masks, we've asked that people keep vaccination up to date and stay home if feeling off" | free | @cordi.ceps | BJJ club | ||||
8 | 6 | Baltimore & DC & Online | Strange Fox Fighting Arts (Bataireacht) | sign up on website | Baltimore: Sundays 2pm (Other locations: Sat, Sun, Tues, Weds) | 2:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | no, but hope to be by the end of 2024 | no | some | yes | yes: DC classes wheelchair accessible; 2024 Baltimore location requires stairs to access | yes | $20-$30 | @bmorebata | seated & online classes available | |||
9 | 1 | Chicago | Haymaker Gym | Rizal Center (1332 W Irving Park) | Thursdays & Saturdays (see @haymakergym) | yes | @haymakergym | ||||||||||||||
10 | 7 | Chicago | TASC | Han Training | 1st & 3rd Saturdays | 2:30 PM | yes | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | yes | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @tascchicago | ||
11 | 2 | Chicago | Queer Kickboxing Club Chicago | www.qkcchicago.com | schedulable | no | yes | yes | @qkcchicago | ||||||||||||
12 | 10 | Cincinnati | Cincinnati Trans Support | roaming | sporadic | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | free / donation | @513transsupport | "CTSN hosts these events periodically, following the curriculum of traction’s zine, plus working through situations the audience asks about" | ||||
13 | 9 | Cleveland | Queer Martial Arts Club (CLE) | Rhizome House | 1st & 3rd Sundays, 2nd & 4th Saturdays | upcoming | yes | yes | yes | upcoming | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | free / donation | @qmac.cle | Collaborative approach - come share your knowledge! | ||
14 | 3 | Columbus | Degenderettes Columbus | tba [7/24] | yes | no | yes | yes | @degenderettescbus | may return 2024? | |||||||||||
15 | 8 | Durham | Queer & Trans Self Defense | Elevate MMA Academy | 1st Saturdays | 3-4pm | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes | no | free | @lil.bruisie | ||
16 | 5 | Durham | Play Fight Move | message for location | ongoing | yes | no | yes | yes (private lessons) | yes | yes | ? | pay what you can / $25-$40 sliding scale, no one turned away for cost | @playfightmove | |||||||
17 | 10 | DC/Maryland | DMV Queer Fight Club | northwest DC, contact for location | Sundays & Tuesdays | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | some | free (Traction) | @queer_dmv_fightclub | ||||
18 | 5 | Eugene | Queer Eugene Grappling Club | Lavender Network | Sundays | 12:00 PM | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | no | free | @queer.eugene.grappling.club | |||||||
19 | 3 | Houston | Mitochondria, Personal Trainer | Houston-Based / Roaming | For Hire / Weekly Sundays | 6:00 PM | yes | yes | n/a | yes | n/a | @mit.chondria | |||||||||
20 | 6 | Houston | LGBTQ BJJ Class | Third Ward BJJ | Monthly | 11:30 AM | yes | yes | no | no | yes | no | no, but BIPOC guest instructors | yes | yes | no requirement "but many do" | free / donation | @thirdwardbjj | |||
21 | 8 | Indianapolis (Fishers) | Academic Grappling | Academic Grappling | Mon-Thur 7pm, Mon/Wed 8am, Fri 9am | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | $100+ | @academicgrappling | |||
22 | 6 | Los Angeles | QT Grappling | Breakdown Academy | 2nd & 4th Sundays | 2:30 PM | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | no | free | @qt.losangeles.grappling | ||||||
23 | 5 | Los Angeles | Supernova | *on hiatus* [7/24] | no classes summer 2024 | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | @rykaaoki | on hiatus, TBD | |||||||||
24 | 5 | Leeds (UK) | Bent Collective | TBD | see schedule | yes | yes (1 class) | yes | yes | yes (1 class) | @bent_collective | bentcollectiveuk@gmail.com muay thai, pro-wrestling, submission grappling, QTIPOC class, self defence | |||||||||
25 | 6 | Louisville | Play Fight Move | *moved to Durham | weekly on saturdays and by appointment | 11:00 AM | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes, gym is wheelchair accessible, kept low odor, low/necessary light, and a separate space is kept for any needed quiet moments | yes | pay what you can / $25-$40 sliding scale, no one turned away for cost | @playfightmove | ||||||
26 | 9 | Milwaukee | FitPower's Collective Safety Program | FitPower | contact | n/a | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | some, with other covid protocols | free | @fitpowermke | |||
27 | 6 | Oklahoma City, OK | OKC DSA Queer Fight Club | Diversity Center of Oklahoma | Twice a month on Mondays | 7:00 PM | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | yes | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @okcdsa | "We also teach first aid techniques. After October we might be moving locations to Evolve Church, an explicitly queer-affirming church right next door to one of OKC's most popular gay bars." | |
28 | 5 | NYC | Fearless Queers | Bond Street Dojo | twice a month | 1:30 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | donation | @selfdefenseisgay | |||||||||
29 | 3 | NYC | Pop Gym | roaming | workshops per availability | n/a | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | no | some | some | some | yes | yes | free / donation | @popgymbk | |||
30 | 2 | NYC | Queer Fight School (Brooklyn) | Queens Training Club | 1st Sundays | 1:30 PM | yes | free | @queerfightschool | ||||||||||||
31 | 9 | Oakland | TransFighters Oakland | Suigetsukan | ended 12/23, go to Misfit | 2:30 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | no | yes | yes | no | yes | free (Traction) | @transfighters | ||
32 | 9 | Oakland California | Queer Combat | Misfit Combat | Fridays | 7:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | free (Traction) | @misfitcombat | |||||
33 | 3 | Oakland | Warrior Expand | Outdoors | no | yes | yes | yes outdoors | @warriorexpand | ||||||||||||
34 | 10 | Pittsburgh | Queer Fight Club PGH | email for location: queerfightclubpgh@proton.me | mondays | 8:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | stairs | yes | free | @queerfightclubpgh | ||
35 | 3 | Portland Oregon | Autonomy Recovery | Alder Commons | 2nd Saturdays | 1:30 PM | yes | yes | free | @autonomyrecovery | |||||||||||
36 | 4 | Portland Oregon | Safe Together | Flying Turtle | sporadic | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | @hollyempowered | ||||||||||
37 | 12 | Portland Oregon | TransFighters Portland | Unicorn BJJ | 1st Sundays | 2:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | free (Traction) | @transfighters | ||
38 | 6 | Online (Tiktok) | Queers Never Die | tiktok @queersneverdie | archived video series | n/a | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | no | no | n/a | n/a | free | @transfighters | video series by Scout Tran of Traction Project | ||
39 | 10 | Seattle | Queer Movement & Self Defense | Peer Seattle | Tuesdays | 6:45 | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | $5-15 or free (NOTAFLOF) | @qt.combatarts.206 | rotating guest instructors | |
40 | 3 | Seattle | Snowblind BJJ | Seattle Aikikai Capitol Hill | weekends (see schedule) | yes | yes | no | ? | yes | ? | no | membership | @snowblind_bjj | sport Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym run by a transfem blackbelt | ||||||
41 | 7 | Seattle (North) | LGBTQBJJ | Ballard BJJ | 2nd & 4th Sundays | 11:00 AM | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes, but 4th sunday is masks optional (bjj sparring/competition focused) | free | @gwenjitsu | ||||||
42 | 8 | Seattle (North) | Queer Fight Night | Ballard BJJ | 1st Saturdays | 7:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | donation | @queerfightnightseattle | ||||||
43 | 5 | Toronto | TransFightersTO | message organizers | message organizers | yes | yes | yes | ? | yes | ? | ? | free | @transfightersTO | qtbjjto@gmail.com | ||||||
44 | 0 | Victoria BC | transfem training club | Victoria Martial Arts | every other Sunday | 5:00 PM | |||||||||||||||
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46 | Teamwork Techniques | Examples: Tackling & finishing; Bystander training & de-arrest; Confrontation formations; Recruiting onlookers & exploiting allies; Squad building exercises; Boffer battles; Discussion of buddy system, mutual aid, collective living, medical advocates, adult advocates, bathroom accomplices. | |||||||||||||||||||
47 | Inconspicuous Grappling | Moves that improve your positional control without alerting an aggressor that you've become defensive (to maintain a resource-related relationship, protect a shared-custody child, or secure client payment). | |||||||||||||||||||
48 | Intimidation & Fawning | Intimidation: posture and internal techniques (with or without a weapon) to make an aggressor de-escalate. Fawning: theatrical and environmental techniques that make an aggressor feel satisfied or inappropriate. | |||||||||||||||||||
49 | Verbal Manipulation | "Fast-talk" training to prevent an aggressor's ramp-up. Bluffing that you have backup or crowd support. Shaming against bystanders or a respected figure. Femme voice, for passing or respectability. Verbal over-escalation. Befriending, sharing history, appealing for sympathy. Distration, misinformation. Create openings for physical techniques. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | Regular Sparring | Games that improve comfort with reaction and improvisation (ie. sock wrestling, BJJ rolling, boxing sparring, wrestling for foam knives, etc.). | |||||||||||||||||||
51 | Trans-fem Led | a trans-fem lead instructor, OR a trans-fem administrator & a trans-fem teachers-assistant present in class | |||||||||||||||||||
52 | BIPOC Led | at least one instructor is Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color | |||||||||||||||||||
53 | Isolated LGBTQ timeslot | No other general classes in the gym before/during/after class (especially while trans students are changing). | |||||||||||||||||||
54 | Accessible / Clean | Good disability accessibility (ie. no stairs, wide walkways, ADA bathroom, low scents). | |||||||||||||||||||
55 | Clean and well ventilated gym space, disinfected mats, and low odors. | ||||||||||||||||||||
56 | Trans Protocols | Protocols for pronouns and dysphoria, and explicit announced support for trans people. | |||||||||||||||||||
57 | Masked or Outdoors | * acknowledge some covid risk from masks slipping off during drills & sparring | |||||||||||||||||||
58 | Cost | "(Traction)" means it receives funding from us, Traction Project. | |||||||||||||||||||
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