Complexities and Capoeira
Over the years, my relationship to capoeira and the community has taken many different forms. I have been enamored of the art, in love with the art, committed to the art, mesmerized by the art, critical of the art, out of love with the art, disappointed with the art, heartbroken by the art, encouraged by the art, liberated by the art and oppressed by the art. I'm sure many people have a similar journey with something that they have committed to for over 10 years. As we change, our relationship changes. As I have made internal shifts, things that I was once able to let roll off my back no longer rolled. In fact, I stood up. I stopped them. I said, "No more." I have publicly challenged the status quo. I have asked the hard questions in the room that everyone has but no one speaks out about. I have been the antelope who does not consent in this community.
The role of women in capoeira is a very challenging subject, laced with cultural norms, sexism, sexual assault, sexual harassment, derogotory terms like "berimbau bunny" being tossed around and fierce double standards against women who have relationships within the community vs men who have relationships and even multiple affairs in the community. This is not unique to capoeira, but in an art that is about liberation, it is important to ask these questions and challenge the status quo, especially when the status quo leads to unequal opportunities and unequal access to information.
I have begun to speak out about this at events. I ask the hard questions. I ask what is being done about sexual harassment. I ask why is it that we are allowing women to be treated unequally. I ask why is it that at events, we might get one workshop taught by a women, but we'll certainly have 10 taught by men. Or more. Why is it that I can count on one hand the number of workshops I've taken by women at events over the past 10 years? Where is the equal representation? Why is it that at bate papos, there is almost never a woman's voice on the panel unless it is a woman's event? Why are we so underepresented when we are such a dynamic part of the community?
The role of women in capoeira is a very challenging subject, laced with cultural norms, sexism, sexual assault, sexual harassment, derogotory terms like "berimbau bunny" being tossed around and fierce double standards against women who have relationships within the community vs men who have relationships and even multiple affairs in the community. This is not unique to capoeira, but in an art that is about liberation, it is important to ask these questions and challenge the status quo, especially when the status quo leads to unequal opportunities and unequal access to information.
I have begun to speak out about this at events. I ask the hard questions. I ask what is being done about sexual harassment. I ask why is it that we are allowing women to be treated unequally. I ask why is it that at events, we might get one workshop taught by a women, but we'll certainly have 10 taught by men. Or more. Why is it that I can count on one hand the number of workshops I've taken by women at events over the past 10 years? Where is the equal representation? Why is it that at bate papos, there is almost never a woman's voice on the panel unless it is a woman's event? Why are we so underepresented when we are such a dynamic part of the community?
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