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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Crazy Jerome" data-source="post: 5556360" data-attributes="member: 54877">See, I don't see that as the "honest discussion". That's the problem, not a real honest discussion. Talking casually to other people about women's historical issues with mathematics in front of my daughter is a bad idea. After finding out that she is pretty darn good at it, but struggling with a few key things more than her brother? Now, a honest discussion is warranted. "Yeah, some of these things might be a little harder for you. But you can do it. And struggling with it might make you even better. You have other advantages." My experience with young fencers mirrors your boffer experience. You just need to get people over the skill hump and build some confidence. The way to build confidence is to say, "Yeah, they are bigger and faster than you, but skill is more important. Develop the skill, and you can push those big guys around!" They love that.  Minimizing differences too much is just as dishonest, for purposes of building real confidence, as maximizing them. Among other things, it discredits the teacher, because the student can see the differences with their own eyes. It is far more confidence building to say, "This difference is here, but it won't matter much if you don't let it." And then they get a little skill, and see that you are correct. I've never met a good female fencer that thought the male size and speed wasn't an advantage. Part of their attitude is that the guy has an advantage--but they are still going to kick his butt.  I think I've said this before. It is the old quote about Ginger Rodgers did everything Fred Astaire did--backwards and in high heels. In fact Rodgers did not do everything Astaire did. She could not have. What she did was hold up her end completely--excel--backwards and in high heels. Pretty darn impressive. In a fantasy, cinematic game, the quote is accurate. Barbarian Jane does everything that Barbarian Joe does, despite any incidental impediments due her gender. In a more realistic version, Barbarian Jane has some not so incidental impediments, but it doesn't stop her from kicking as much butt as Barbarian Joe. She is just that good. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/laugh.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="Laughing    :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /></blockquote>

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