| 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 6/30/2026. Info is self-declared by each organization and is not verified by Degenderettes; let us know if something needs updating. Sharing link: degenderettes.org/classlist | Degenderettes' recommended curriculum for trans-fems who are BIPOC or sex workers (see degenderettes.org/downloads for our curriculum): | Other items in the "Degenderettes Score": | |||||||||||||||||
2 | 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 | Degenderettes 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 | 1 | Austin | Queer MMA | Black Widow MMA | monthly | free | @coach.lu.atx | ||||||||||||||
9 | 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 | |||
10 | 1 | Boston | Boston Lavender Defense | Somerville, DM for location | wed/thur/fri/sat, DM for details | free | @queerfightnightbos | ||||||||||||||
11 | 0 | Burlingtom, VT | Fearless Queers | Resistance Arts Collective | @selfdefenseisgay | ||||||||||||||||
12 | 1 | Chicago | Haymaker Gym | Rizal Center (1332 W Irving Park) | Thursdays & Saturdays (see @haymakergym) | yes | @haymakergym | ||||||||||||||
13 | 7 | Chicago | TASC | Han Training | 1st & 3rd Saturdays | 2:30 PM | yes | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | yes | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @tascchicago | ||
14 | 2 | Chicago | Queer Kickboxing Club Chicago | www.qkcchicago.com | schedulable | no | yes | yes | @qkcchicago | ||||||||||||
15 | 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 [the] zine, plus working through situations the audience asks about" | ||||
16 | 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! | ||
17 | 3 | Columbus | Degenderettes Columbus | yes | no | yes | yes | @degenderettescbus | may return 2024? | ||||||||||||
18 | 3 | Durham | QT Self Defense | Revenant Combat Club | 1st Saturday | 2pm | no | yes | yes | yes | @revenant.combat.club | ||||||||||
19 | 5 | Durham | QT No Gi Jiu Jitsu | Revenant Combat Club | Mondays/Fridays | 4:30pm/5pm | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | membership or contact club in advance | @playfightmove | |||||||
20 | 10 | DC/Maryland | DMV Queer Fight Club | Highstyle JJ | Sundays & Tuesdays | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | some | free | @queer_dmv_fightclub | ||||
21 | 7 | Eugene | Queer Eugene Grappling Club | Lavender Network | Sundays | 12:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | no | free | @queer.eugene.grappling.club | |||||
22 | 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 | |||
23 | 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 | |||
24 | 6 | Los Angeles | QT Grappling | Breakdown Academy | 2nd & 4th Sundays | 2:30 PM | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | no | free | @qt.losangeles.grappling | ||||||
25 | 5 | Los Angeles | Supernova | *on hiatus* [7/24] | no classes summer 2024 | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | @rykaaoki | on hiatus, TBD | |||||||||
26 | 5 | Leeds (UK) | Bent Collective | DM for location | 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 | |||||||||
27 | 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 | ||||||
28 | 4 | Ann Arbor (Ypsilanti) | Black Cat Club | contact for location | Sunday mornings | yes | yes | yes | free / pay what you can | @blackcatclubmartialarts | blackcatclub25@gmail.com | ||||||||||
29 | 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 | |||
30 | 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." | |
31 | 5 | NYC | Fearless Queers | Bond Street Dojo | twice a month | 1:30 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | donation | @selfdefenseisgay | |||||||||
32 | 3 | NYC | Pop Gym | roaming | workshops per availability | n/a | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | upcoming | no | some | some | some | yes | yes | free / donation | @popgymbk | |||
33 | 2 | NYC | Queer Fight School (Brooklyn) | Queens Training Club | 1st Sundays | 1:30 PM | yes | free | @queerfightschool | ||||||||||||
34 | 9 | Oakland California | Queer Combat | Misfit Combat | Fridays | 7:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @misfitcombat | |||||
35 | 3 | Oakland | Warrior Expand | Outdoors | no | yes | yes | yes outdoors | @warriorexpand | ||||||||||||
36 | 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 | ||
37 | 3 | Portland Oregon | Autonomy Recovery | Alder Commons | 2nd Saturdays | 1:30 PM | yes | yes | free | @autonomyrecovery | |||||||||||
38 | 4 | Portland Oregon | Safe Together | Marie Equi Center | sporadic | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | pay what you can | @hollyempowered | |||||||||
39 | 7 | Portland Oregon | QT PDX Grappling Club | Femme Rising | 3rd Saturdays | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @qt_pdx_grapplingclub | @femmerisingstudio | |||||||
40 | 12 | Portland Oregon | Degenderettes Self Defense | 1628 N Columbia #F (Kenton Max) | Every Friday | 7:30 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @degenderettes | ||
41 | 8 | Portland Oregon | Degenderettes Intro BJJ Class | 1628 N Columbia #F (Kenton Max) | Every Sunday | 2:00 PM | no | yes | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no (small bathroom) | yes | free | @degenderettes | ||
42 | 10 | Portland Oregon | Degenderettes Clubhouse | 1628 N Columbia #F (Kenton Max) | Every Day (see schedule) | all classes | yes, see schedule | yes, see schedule | yes, see schedule | yes, see schedule | yes, see schedule | yes | yes | yes | yes | no (gravel lot, small bathroom, striking downstairs but wrestling upstairs, strong automotive odors) | yes | $5-$30 gym use | @degenderettes | ||
43 | 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 | tiktok: @queersneverdie | video series | ||
44 | 1 | Salt Lake City | Stonewall Self Defense | no | no | yes | no | $60/month | |||||||||||||
45 | 4 | Seattle | QT Self Defense | Snowblind BJJ | last sundays | yes | no | yes | yes | no | free | @snowblind_bjj | sport Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym run by a transfem blackbelt | ||||||||
46 | 4 | Seattle | Red Panda Gym | 1415 10th Ave #2 (Capitol Hill) | Every Day (see schedule) | all classes | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | stairs | no | gym membership | @redpandaboxing | ||||||
47 | 5 | Seattle | Queer Jiu Jitsu | Combat Arts Academy | Fridays | 5pm | yes | yes | no | yes | yes | free for members of other BJJ gyms | @gwenjitsu | ||||||||
48 | 10 | Seattle | Queer Self Defense & Movement | Red Panda Boxing (Capitol Hill) | Tuesdays | 7:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | $5-15 or free (NOTAFLOF) | @qt.combatarts.206 | rotating guest instructors | |
49 | 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 | ||||||
50 | 8 | Seattle (North) | Queer Fight Night | location varies | 1st Saturdays | 7:00 PM | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | donation | @queerfightnightseattle | ||||||
51 | 1 | St Louis | Queer Fight Club | yes | @qfc.stl | ||||||||||||||||
52 | 5 | Toronto | TransFightersTO | message organizers | message organizers | yes | yes | yes | yes | free | @transfightersTO | qtbjjto@gmail.com | |||||||||
53 | 0 | Victoria BC | transfem training club | Victoria Martial Arts | every other Sunday | 5:00 PM | |||||||||||||||
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55 | Teamwork Techniques | Examples: tackling & finishing; bystander training for harassment/roofies/kidnapping; confrontation formations; recruiting onlookers & employing allies; squad building exercises; boffer battles; discussions of buddy system, mutual aid, collective living, medical advocates, adult advocates, bathroom accomplices. | |||||||||||||||||||
56 | 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 customer payment). | |||||||||||||||||||
57 | Intimidation & Fawning | Intimidation: posture and internal techniques to make an aggressor de-escalate. Fawning: theatrical and environmental techniques that make an aggressor feel satisfied or inappropriate. | |||||||||||||||||||
58 | 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. | |||||||||||||||||||
59 | Regular "Sparring" | Games that improve comfort with reaction and improvisation (ie. sock wrestling, Push Hands, BJJ rolling, boxing, wrestling for foam knives, etc.). | |||||||||||||||||||
60 | Trans-fem Led | a trans-fem lead instructor, OR a trans-fem administrator with a trans-fem teachers-assistant present in class | |||||||||||||||||||
61 | BIPOC Led | at least one instructor is Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color | |||||||||||||||||||
62 | Isolated LGBTQ timeslot | No other general classes in the gym before/during/after class (especially while trans students are changing). | |||||||||||||||||||
63 | Accessible / Clean | Good disability accessibility (ie. no stairs, wide walkways, ADA bathroom, low scents). | |||||||||||||||||||
64 | Clean and well ventilated gym space, disinfected mats, and low odors. | ||||||||||||||||||||
65 | Trans Protocols | Protocols for pronouns and dysphoria, and explicit announced support for trans people. | |||||||||||||||||||
66 | Masked or Outdoors | * acknowledge some covid risk from masks slipping off during drills & sparring | |||||||||||||||||||
67 | Cost | confirm with host | |||||||||||||||||||
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