We are always developing and researching new programs, and look forward to telling you about them when they’re ready. These are the projects that we already have up and running:
- LGBTQIA+ Self-Defense Class
- Queer & Trans Jiu Jitsu Tournament Seattle (Sponsor)
- Seattle Tournament Travel Grants
- Martial Arts Teacher Development Program
- Self-Defense Zines & Curriculum
- Motorcycle Repair & Safety Gear
LGBTQIA+ Self-Defense & Martial Arts Classes
We offer free self-defense classes for the LGBTQIA+ community in Portland (OR) and Oakland (CA). We also help create similar programs in Washington DC, Lincoln (NE), and Eugene (OR). Many additional programs use our curriculum and mentorship.
Oakland: Every Friday, 7pm, at Misfit Combat on 46th St.
Portland: Every Friday, 7:30pm, at Unicorn BJJ on Stark St.
[no class 3/7/2025! we’re in Seattle]
DC: Sundays and Tuesdays, contact @queer_dmv_fightclub for location.
Lincoln: Every other Saturday, 6pm, contact @READnetworkinfo for location.
Eugene: Every Sunday, 12pm, at Lavender Network.
History & Struggle: In 2016 a group of Bay Area organizers saw that LGBTQIA people were asking desperately for access to self-defense, but were reluctant to attend existing self-defense programs. They found that the major reason for this was that while martial arts studios advertised LGBT-acceptance, they did not have protocols in place for anti-homophobia or gender-affirmation, and were unable to accommodate trans students with difficult relationships to their bodies.
Over the next few years, they developed a program with former MMA fighter Shawn Keiser to specifically solve those issues. In 2019, that group of organizers founded Traction Project to make this martial arts program free-to-attend, financially stable, and expandable.
Because it is so unique in the martial arts world to center trans people’s needs in a curriculum, Traction Project’s class is regularly visited by LGBTQIA martial artists from around the world who are looking to build similar programs in their own locales. As Traction Project’s network and financial ability expands, we hope to be able to provide assistance to programs beyond the one we started.
Seattle Tournament & Travel Assistance
Transgender martial artists need to meet each other, now more than ever, but because trans people are excluded from sport tournaments, they become isolated.
The only active tournament in the world that is by-and-for trans martial artists is held by Queer Fight Night Seattle at Ballard Jiu Jitsu, for which Traction Project is a proud sponsor. Traction Project has also created a travel assistance program to help competitors make it to this essential convention while it still exists.
- Queer Fight Night Seattle’s Tournament Registration (Seattle, March 7th/8th, 2025)
- Traction Project’s Travel Assistance Application (Seattle, March 7th/8th, 2025)
Please donate here to help increase the number of competitors we can assist.
Martial Arts Teacher Development Program
Our Teacher Development program takes a handful of our intermediate trans and non-binary students and provides them with gym memberships to train in advanced martial arts classes.
This is not just an expansion of our free LGBTQIA beginner’s class, but our way to ensure a future for that sibling program. One of the biggest reasons it has been so hard to provide a good martial arts training environment for trans people, specifically, is that there are almost no experienced trans martial artists in the world. While creating gender-affirmative environments in a gym has been an important step forward, trans students have many barriers to training that non-trans instructors have never themselves experienced. Having trans role models in martial arts is also a huge confidence boost for people who are timid about starting training.
It can take a student 2 years to gain enough experience to become a teacher’s assistant, and as much as 10 years to master an art enough to become an instructor. Because most of the students coming through our LGBTQIA+ program are primarily interested in learning self-defense for their personal safety, they have little incentive to continue training beyond a rudimentary level.
The number of teaching-track students we can support is directly related to our funding, so please consider making a donation to keep this program growing.
Applying to this program: The first step is to learn our pedagogy and curriculum, which we provide for free, either in-person at the Portland class, or via web mentorship. Please email us to introduce yourself.
Self Defense Zines & Curriculum
As an extension of our Self Defense programs, we have published a zine. It is available in print through Silver Sprocket, and as a free PDF.
This zine was written and illustrated entirely by trans artists, based on advice from trans elders about what techniques they actually used to survive the 90’s and 00’s. It is a unique resource that is starkly different from mainstream self-defense practices.
The text of this guide has been translated to:
In 2024 we created a more detailed guide & curriculum, including the pitfalls and successes of running LGBTQIA+ classes, as well as a guide specifically for BJJ Coaches of Transgender Students, and a listing of self-defense clubs & classes that we know about. These are available for free in our downloads section.
Motorcycle Repair & Safety Gear
Trans people can have trouble accessing motorcycles because of cultural barriers to trans riders, and the cost of first starting riding. Our program brings motorcycles and protective gear to LGBTQ people in need of practical urban transportation.
We work with LGBTQ mechanics in San Francisco and Portland (Oregon) to source and repair motorcycles, and to pair them with riders. We set up mentorships to teach riders how to maintain their motorcycles, creating a self-sustaining community, and passing on valuable trade-related skills.
