Girls Fight Back
Stephanie Schirmer
Issue date: 4/14/08 Section: Entertainment
Your meeting ran late and you have to walk to your car across the parking lot. Alone. Your heart starts to race, but you tell yourself that you are just being silly and there is nothing to fear, it's just dark. You think you hear footsteps behind you and you walk faster. You get to your car and can see a man's reflection in the window of your car.
What would you do if there was no one to help you but you?
On April 7, a guest speaker came to UTSA and gave a lecture in the Retama Room at 7:30 p.m. Her name is Erin Weed and she has been on countless speaking tours to encourage and show women they can fight back instead of becoming victims since January 2002. The inspiration for this empowering idea was inspired by a very tragic event in Erin's life. On June 12, 2001, Erin Weed was shocked to hear that an old friend of hers, Shannon McNamara, had been murdered.
Erin went back home and called up all of her and Shannon's mutual friends and they got together. They lit a bonfire and talked about Shannon, but Erin was surprised that the topic turned from Shannon to the women's own insecurities about how they feel when they were alone. She couldn't understand how these strong, tough women could feel like they were also helpless when by themselves.
Two weeks after she had gone to Shannon's wake and funeral, Erin was fired from her job, so to relieve stress, she began to run and think about what to do with her life. This is the point in her life that she decided she wanted to empower women so they didn't feel afraid, helpless, or be put in a situation like Shannon's.
She signed up for self-defense classes in New Hampshire at an FBI facility and learned techniques and moves she didn't think she was capable of. Her mantra when she feels afraid or helpless now is, "I am so dangerous." She doesn't mean this statement in an arrogant way, but as a means to remind herself that she doesn't need someone to save her; she can save herself if she needs to.
What would you do if there was no one to help you but you?
On April 7, a guest speaker came to UTSA and gave a lecture in the Retama Room at 7:30 p.m. Her name is Erin Weed and she has been on countless speaking tours to encourage and show women they can fight back instead of becoming victims since January 2002. The inspiration for this empowering idea was inspired by a very tragic event in Erin's life. On June 12, 2001, Erin Weed was shocked to hear that an old friend of hers, Shannon McNamara, had been murdered.
Erin went back home and called up all of her and Shannon's mutual friends and they got together. They lit a bonfire and talked about Shannon, but Erin was surprised that the topic turned from Shannon to the women's own insecurities about how they feel when they were alone. She couldn't understand how these strong, tough women could feel like they were also helpless when by themselves.
Two weeks after she had gone to Shannon's wake and funeral, Erin was fired from her job, so to relieve stress, she began to run and think about what to do with her life. This is the point in her life that she decided she wanted to empower women so they didn't feel afraid, helpless, or be put in a situation like Shannon's.
She signed up for self-defense classes in New Hampshire at an FBI facility and learned techniques and moves she didn't think she was capable of. Her mantra when she feels afraid or helpless now is, "I am so dangerous." She doesn't mean this statement in an arrogant way, but as a means to remind herself that she doesn't need someone to save her; she can save herself if she needs to.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 15
Janine Peerway
posted 4/22/08 @ 5:45 PM CST
I'm sorry but this is pure BS. "There's nothing more dangeorus than a pissed off woman." Really? OMG. How 'bout a really pissed off enraged male who has 60 or more pounds on you and is pumped up on adrenaline. (Continued…)
Janine
posted 4/25/08 @ 12:14 AM CST
Apparently you drank the cool aid and at this point are parroting what you've been told with no real knowledge. An 18 years jujitsu trainer myself i can't help you anymore - I already said what's off and wrong here. (Continued…)
Jinny
posted 4/25/08 @ 9:11 AM CST
Here's a couple tips:
1) if you can, run and scream "fire!" People don't want to get involved in something dangerous but they'll at least investigate a call of "fire!" a little more closely just for their own sake. (Continued…)
Stephanie Schirmer
posted 4/30/08 @ 12:26 PM CST
Janine, the point of the article was to make women aware that they can do something about protecting themselves. Erin Weed is simply trying to make people aware of what they can do to protect themselves and to help them. (Continued…)
Texas2Step
Rebecca
posted 5/08/08 @ 1:40 PM CST
It is good for women to be confident and aware, to have plans for dealing with dangerous situations, and to learn martial arts, but as Janine points out, all that is of limited value when a woman alone is confronted or attacked by a much larger, stronger, aggressive man. (Continued…)
jack clement
posted 5/10/08 @ 5:52 PM CST
i saw a self defense youtube from ms weed and it was absolutely terrible, none of her moves would have stopped an attacker - pissed them off more likely, then countered with greater force. (Continued…)
Rebecca
posted 5/12/08 @ 9:53 AM CST
I'm very sorry, Janine. I was generalizing on your comments and I see that I did (unintentionally) misrepresent what you said. I agree completely with everything you have written about Erin Weed's teaching on self-defense. (Continued…)
Post a Comment