{"id":435970,"date":"2026-03-04T13:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T12:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/?p=435970"},"modified":"2026-03-04T13:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T12:14:20","slug":"pourquoi-sports-combat-seduisent-plus-en-plus-femmes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/why-combat-sports-are-increasingly-appealing-to-women-435970","title":{"rendered":"Why combat sports are increasingly appealing to women"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Long labeled &quot;masculine&quot;, combat sports are changing their image. Tatami mats, rings and cages are seeing an increasing number of women coming to seek much more than just training.<\/p>\n<h2> A progression that no longer goes unnoticed.<\/h2>\n<p> The figures speak for themselves. In France, the French Judo Federation now has nearly 40% female members, a proportion that is steadily increasing. The same trend is seen in the French Boxing Federation, where the proportion of female participants is rising, driven by growing media coverage and an expanded network of clubs.<\/p>\n<p>Internationally, the women&#39;s Ultimate Fighting Championship competitions have played a significant role in popularizing women&#39;s MMA. High-level fights, broadcast widely, have changed perceptions and opened up new possibilities. This movement is therefore not a mere anecdote: it represents a lasting transformation of the sporting landscape. <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@haleyywheelerr\/video\/7579772536569777463\" data-video-id=\"7579772536569777463\">\n<section> <a title=\"@haleyywheelerr\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@haleyywheelerr?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@haleyywheelerr<\/a> nothing has built my self esteem like this sport\ud83e\udec0 <a title=\"fightlikeagirl\ud83e\udd4a\u2640\ufe0f\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fightlikeagirl%F0%9F%A5%8A%E2%99%80%EF%B8%8F?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#fightlikeagirl\ud83e\udd4a\u2640\ufe0f<\/a> <a title=\"fitgirls\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fitgirls?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#fitgirls<\/a> <a title=\"girlswhobox\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/girlswhobox?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#girlswhobox<\/a> <a title=\"confidence\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/confidence?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#confidence<\/a> <a title=\"therapy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/therapy?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#therapy<\/a> <a title=\"\u266c Original sound - Whethan\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7534772411267353374?refer=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u266c original sound - Whethan<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2> A powerful lever for empowerment<\/h2>\n<p> Beyond the statistics, it&#39;s the motivations that are striking. Many practitioners mention increased confidence and a strengthened sense of autonomy. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/toc\/rjsp20\/current\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences<\/a> also highlights that regular martial arts practice is associated with improved self-esteem and a greater sense of personal efficacy in women.<\/p>\n<p>Learning to strike, dodge, and throw is not simply about technical skills. It&#39;s a way to rediscover your body as a powerful ally. Posture changes, grounding strengthens, and movement becomes more confident. Many speak of a new energy, an inner strength that transcends the dojo or gym.<\/p>\n<p>Your body is no longer judged by its appearance: it is celebrated for its abilities, its coordination, its resilience, its strategy. A profoundly body-positive approach, centered on what you can achieve.<\/p>\n<h2> Reclaiming one&#39;s body, far from stereotypes<\/h2>\n<p> Combat sports engage the entire body: explosiveness, endurance, reflexes, tactical intelligence. This demanding nature creates a more functional connection to movement. You don&#39;t train to conform to an ideal, but to progress, to push your limits, to feel.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cairn.info\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sociologist Christine Mennesson<\/a> has shown, in her work on women&#39;s boxing, that these disciplines offer a space to redefine norms of femininity and question gender stereotypes. In the ring or on the tatami, power and grace are not opposed: they coexist. Mixed-gender training is common in many clubs, and workouts are adapted to skill level, not gender. This cultural shift opens up a space for expression where everyone can find their place.<\/p>\n<h2> The mirror effect of female champions<\/h2>\n<p> Media visibility plays a key role. Athletes like Ronda Rousey in MMA or Clarisse Agbegnenou in judo have made a lasting impression. Their journeys demonstrate that women&#39;s performance in combat sports is not exceptional: it is legitimate, spectacular, and respected.<\/p>\n<p>The Olympic Games also reinforced this dynamic, offering increased visibility to women&#39;s events. Seeing women on the podium creates a powerful sense of identification. You imagine yourself there, you tell yourself that you too can walk through the door of a club.<\/p>\n<h2> Self-defense and sense of security<\/h2>\n<p> Some practitioners also mention learning useful techniques in case of an attack. While a combat sport does not replace specific self-defense training, it develops reflexes, better stress management, and a more refined sense of distance.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research published<\/a> in the journal Violence Against Women indicates that programs combining physical activity and self-defense techniques can strengthen feelings of security and reduce fear of assault. Feeling empowered to act, even symbolically, profoundly changes one&#39;s self-perception.<\/p>\n<p>The rise of combat sports among women is part of a broader trend: the questioning of gender norms in sport. Hitting a bag, learning a combination, stepping onto a tatami: these actions are no longer reserved for a single gender. They are becoming means of expression, arenas of freedom. More than a trend, it is a collective affirmation: power, technique, and determination belong to all those who choose to embody them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Long labeled &quot;masculine&quot;, combat sports are changing their image. Tatami mats, rings and cages are seeing an increasing...","protected":false},"author":8375,"featured_media":435972,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5678],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-435970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-societe"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cottonbro-studio-_-Pexels-8-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cottonbro-studio-_-Pexels-8-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cottonbro-studio-_-Pexels-8.jpg","author":{"name":"Fabienne Baure","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/fabienne_baure-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5678,"name":"Society","slug":"societe","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5846,"taxonomy":"category","description":"<p>The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n<h2>What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feminism<\/strong>: everyday sexism, gender-based violence, work, the domestic load and women\u2019s rights around the world, all gathered in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/feminisme\">Feminism<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fatphobia<\/strong>: discrimination against fat people at work, at the doctor\u2019s office and in the media, and ways to stand up to it, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\">Fatphobia<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGBTQIA+<\/strong>: sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/lgbtqia\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty standards<\/strong>: where physical ideals come from, how they vary across countries and eras, and what they cost women.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relationships and social ties<\/strong>: friendship, loneliness, bonds between generations and new ways of living together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women who break stereotypes<\/strong>: women making their mark in mechanics, science, sports or on stage, like the physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-a-young-physicist-could-revolutionize-science-432830\">Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski<\/a>, in fields where few expected them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n<p>Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/heres-how-beauty-standards-change-in-different-countries-429750\">how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n<p>If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Save screenshots, messages, dates and the names of any witnesses.<\/li>\n<li>For discrimination in hiring, housing or access to a service, contact the equality or human rights agency in your country, a union or a lawyer.<\/li>\n<li>For illegal content online, report it to the platform and to the authorities in your country.<\/li>\n<li>If you have been threatened or targeted by a crime, you can file a report with the police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n<p>Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n<h2>Articles to start with<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\/fatphobic-remarks-surely-said-without-knowing-430954\">fatphobic phrases many people say without realizing it<\/a>, and what they really imply.<\/li>\n<li>A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/would-you-be-considered-the-norm-elsewhere-here-are-average-sizes-and-weights-in-the-world-429930\">average heights and weights around the world<\/a>, a useful reminder that \u201cnormal\u201d depends on where you live.<\/li>\n<li>What to do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/what-to-do-when-a-colleague-appropriates-an-idea-at-work-447182\">a coworker takes credit for your idea<\/a> at work.<\/li>\n<li>How to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/how-to-set-boundaries-in-the-face-of-unsolicited-advances-at-work-447161\">set boundaries with unwanted advances at work<\/a>, calmly and clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Whether women still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/womens-work-applying-makeup-to-look-professional-446904\">have to wear makeup to look \u201cprofessional\u201d<\/a>, and what that expectation says about workplace norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n<p>Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n<h3>What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n<p>Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n<h3>What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n<p>Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n<p>Want to go further? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/culture\">Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/psycho\">Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","parent":0,"count":1539,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":5678,"category_count":1539,"category_description":"<p>The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n<h2>What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Feminism<\/strong>: everyday sexism, gender-based violence, work, the domestic load and women\u2019s rights around the world, all gathered in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/feminisme\">Feminism<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Fatphobia<\/strong>: discrimination against fat people at work, at the doctor\u2019s office and in the media, and ways to stand up to it, in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\">Fatphobia<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGBTQIA+<\/strong>: sexual orientation, gender identity, coming out and the fight against homophobia and transphobia, explained in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/lgbtqia\">LGBTQIA+<\/a> section.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty standards<\/strong>: where physical ideals come from, how they vary across countries and eras, and what they cost women.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Relationships and social ties<\/strong>: friendship, loneliness, bonds between generations and new ways of living together.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Women who break stereotypes<\/strong>: women making their mark in mechanics, science, sports or on stage, like the physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-a-young-physicist-could-revolutionize-science-432830\">Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski<\/a>, in fields where few expected them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Why are beauty standards a social issue?<\/h2>\n<p>Beauty standards are a social issue because they are neither natural nor universal: they shift from one country to another and from one era to the next, as our article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/heres-how-beauty-standards-change-in-different-countries-429750\">how beauty standards differ around the world<\/a> shows. Yet these ideals of thinness, youth and flawless skin have very real effects: comments starting in childhood, pressure to watch your weight, unequal treatment at work and in health care, online harassment. Recognizing that a norm is constructed helps you take a step back, spot the messages designed to make you feel guilty and choose what you want to keep. That is the common thread of this section: connecting individual experiences to the collective mechanisms that produce them.<\/p>\n<h2>What can you do about discrimination or online harassment?<\/h2>\n<p>If you experience discrimination or online harassment, the first step is to keep evidence, then to turn to the right people, who will depend on the country you live in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Save screenshots, messages, dates and the names of any witnesses.<\/li>\n<li>For discrimination in hiring, housing or access to a service, contact the equality or human rights agency in your country, a union or a lawyer.<\/li>\n<li>For illegal content online, report it to the platform and to the authorities in your country.<\/li>\n<li>If you have been threatened or targeted by a crime, you can file a report with the police.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Our approach: connecting the personal and the collective<\/h2>\n<p>Born from a plus-size fashion site, our magazine looks at social issues through the lens of the body and representation. We give a voice to the people most affected, we explain the words before debating them (sexism, fatphobia, trans identity, consent) and we favor practical ways forward over outrage alone. Our articles start from everyday experiences to shed light on broader patterns, without moralizing or pitting women against each other.<\/p>\n<h2>Articles to start with<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/grossophobie\/fatphobic-remarks-surely-said-without-knowing-430954\">fatphobic phrases many people say without realizing it<\/a>, and what they really imply.<\/li>\n<li>A look at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/would-you-be-considered-the-norm-elsewhere-here-are-average-sizes-and-weights-in-the-world-429930\">average heights and weights around the world<\/a>, a useful reminder that \u201cnormal\u201d depends on where you live.<\/li>\n<li>What to do when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/what-to-do-when-a-colleague-appropriates-an-idea-at-work-447182\">a coworker takes credit for your idea<\/a> at work.<\/li>\n<li>How to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/how-to-set-boundaries-in-the-face-of-unsolicited-advances-at-work-447161\">set boundaries with unwanted advances at work<\/a>, calmly and clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Whether women still <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/womens-work-applying-makeup-to-look-professional-446904\">have to wear makeup to look \u201cprofessional\u201d<\/a>, and what that expectation says about workplace norms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<h3>What counts as discrimination?<\/h3>\n<p>Discrimination is unequal treatment based on a characteristic protected by law, in a specific area such as employment, housing or access to goods and services. Protected grounds vary from country to country, but they often include sex, race or ethnic origin, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Some places also protect physical appearance or weight.<\/p>\n<h3>What is intersectionality?<\/h3>\n<p>Intersectionality describes how several forms of discrimination can overlap in the same person and reinforce one another. The American legal scholar Kimberl\u00e9 Crenshaw coined the term to describe the experiences of Black women. A woman who is both fat and lesbian, for example, may face sexism, fatphobia and homophobia, which compound one another rather than simply adding up.<\/p>\n<h3>What is diet culture?<\/h3>\n<p>Diet culture is the set of beliefs that equates thinness with health, success and personal worth. It shows up in foods labeled \u201cgood\u201d or \u201cbad,\u201d compliments on weight loss and the shaming of fat bodies. Our magazine prefers a weight-inclusive approach to health, at every size.<\/p>\n<p>Want to go further? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/culture\">Culture<\/a> section explores how bodies and identities are portrayed in movies, TV shows and books, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/psycho\">Psychology<\/a> section supports you with self-image, confidence and emotions.<\/p>","cat_name":"Society","category_nicename":"societe","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8375"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=435970"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435970\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":436043,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/435970\/revisions\/436043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/435972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=435970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=435970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=435970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}