This work demonstrates that sex-integrated physical activity can promote progressive and inclusive shifts in the ways in which people conceptualise gender and perform gender relations. Specifically, it discusses how martial artists confront and overcome difficulties relating to gender within mixed-sex training and competitive encounters. The paper highlights three particular moments that are crucial in building towards the ‘un-doing’ of sexist renditions of gender.

Firstly, the work explores the possibility of promoting a sense of female ownership of martial arts, through holding or sharing roles as instructors, coaches or demonstrators. I argue that this encourages women to develop a sense of belonging within spaces traditionally associated with men and masculinity, while helping men to accept the possibility of female authority and respect for women’s expertise.

Secondly, it discusses how a shift towards a shared identity as martial artists can replace the predominance of gender in shaping interactions ‘on the mat’ or ‘in the ring’. This is argued to represent a major obstacle to effective training in integrated environments, but can be challenged through repeated exposure and coaches’ efforts in normalising mixed practices. In addition, this helps both men and women to change their ideas about women’s physical abilities, principally by providing opportunities for these to be showcased in the novel, sometimes quite dramatic ways that martial arts practice affords.

Thirdly, the paper expressly cautions against uniform, ‘one-size-fits-all’ approaches to challenging gender within martial arts and combat sports, advocating a sensitive approach that acknowledges individual and cultural preferences and dispositions. That is to say that certain types of sex integration may be inappropriate in some scenarios and result in more harm than good, meaning the recommendations otherwise made need implementing carefully and selectively.