Well people,

FYI: For more info. on microagressions up to full agressions, please see below and beforehand posts:

Agressions can be committed against TG people(or for that matter any lgbtiq or minority group), from subconscious bias, to conscious bias (microagressions), to verbal threats, propaganda, disinformation, up to terrorist threats, to physical altercations of bodily injury to death. I guess I'm trying to be all inclusive as much as possible. A good book on microagressions, is by Kevin L. Nadal called, "THAT'S SO GAY!: MICROAGRESSIONS AND THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY"(2013) and the other book by the forerunner of the term microagressions and its variaties is by Derald Wing Sue, "Microagressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation"(2010).

References:

Nadal, K. L. (2013). THAT'S SO GAY: MICROAGRESSIONS AND THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY.American Psychological Association: Washington, DC.

Sue, D. W. (2010). Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation.John Wiley & Sons, Inc.:Hoboken, NJ.

Quote from: Tessa James on January 17, 2017, 12:40:24 PM
Actually Karenpayneoregon did a super post about this subject Jan 15 and she posted her credentials; My blog post on credentials
https://karenpayneblog.com/2016/09/18/defensive-tactics/

I support and greatly prefer any non lethal means of self defense.

Thanks for bring up my former post.

After decades of teaching my formula for the average person who has limited time and funds to dedicate to personal protection is to teach a fundamental course on empty hand techniques that were relatively easy to learn and retain rather than spending many hours in a dojo.

My syllabus includes legality and the force continuum to the use of force at it's very core. Whenever possible use verbal skills to deescalate (not always possible) using techniques from a book named "Verbal Judo". Techniques should not be complex in nature but instead feed off what the body and mind natural reaction is to an attack.

Many believe that pepper spray or Tasers are the way to go yet that means one must pull out the tool and use it. Fallacies include time to get the tool out to is the pepper spray in a stable state as it does have a lifespan while a Taser can fail if the batteries wear out.  Oh, and what happens with pepper spray when the wind is blowing your way?

My belief is no matter what you carry as a tool for personal protection you need the skills to get to that tool or simply use empty hand technics or better yet leave the area if time permits.

Thinking tools, my broad response to the best tool is a decent tactical flashlight with very little training to know how and where to hit. On that topic, remember Rodney King in California, the police kept hitting him with batons but he kept getting back up. Find and watch the video, no one hit to the legs which would had subdued him in a matter of seconds. Same goes for us civilians, know where to hit and when to stop as the world is a smaller place today where everyone who has a cellphone can make a video of the incident and if you go too far guess what, you will need a good lawyer. Of course one can use an affirmative defense which is a two-edge sword as you must admit to your actions and must justify them to the court.

Lastly, as stated in my blog post I teach the LGBT community for no charge. If I get a request for out of state I wil do the same but the host my provide accommodations for me.