Getting Strong: Self Defense For Women

In the early 1970's Chicago’s Loop Center YWCA implemented a variety of anti-rape programs to combat societal beliefs and institutional practices that negatively impacted women. Self defense for women was one of these programs. In this video, comments by men, women and interviews with women self-defense instructors, Carol Whiteside, Sue Gould and Andra Medea, document prevailing attitudes about women’s ability to defend themselves from physical attack. The video shows techniques taught in the women’s self-defense classes at the Loop YWCA.

Showings
Exhibition, Women’s Work, Chicago Editing Center, September, 1978
Exhibition, Department of Women’s Studies, University of South Florida, May, 1977
Special Public Screening, Loop YWCA, Chicago, April 5, 1976
Exhibition, “Video Art Show”, Ladies Home Video Gallery, Chicago, October, 1976
Exhibiton, Loop Center, Talk-In Program, March 31, 1976
Exhibition, Loop Center Board of Directors’ Meeting, Feb 5, 1976
Shown multiple times on and off-site by in conjunction with Loop YWCA classes and programs