ANST - ANST- Ladies Chest Protection

[Nan Bradford-Reid]

Greetings, Lady Vanora, and others:


>
> There are some discussions going on concerning ladies' chest 
>protection. Ansteorra has a rule stating that women have to wear 6-8oz. 
>leather over the breasts and sternum... while Coorporate says a gambison 
>over the same area is sufficient. Quite a few of us ladies would like to 
>have Ansteorra's rule dropped to the Coorporate rule. We can prove that 
>there's no danger of cancer from being hit, that there's no long-term 
>harm, and that the only difference between a man and a woman getting hit 
>in the breasts arrises ONLY if she is lactating. 
>
> So, what do you think... drop the rule OR mandate chest protection for 
>all men in Ansteorra?
>

There are several things to consider here:  First, having taken a series of
very hard spear thrusts to the chest, I am *very* glad to say I was wearing
a steel breastplate!!  Whether the feminists like it or not, men and women
are different (duh!).  A man's musculature is different, they fuild up
useful and protective muscles on the chest which protect them.  Unless we
are Arniettes, we don't, no matter how much we fight.  And as far as getting
hit in the breasts, no, it probably doesn't cause cancer, cancer is caused
by a completely different set of circumstances, genetic and environmental.
However, having been hit twice in my right breast, both equal to a sword hit
or thrust, I can tell you it *does* cause damage!! (not to mention pain!)  I
won't go into detail, but suffice to say if you ever want to breastfeed
future children, I strongly recommend against it.  I don't fight any longer,
but if I did, I wouldn't care what the rule was, I would wear steel
protection.  If the breastplate is constructed properly, it doesn't
interfere with your fighting.  Kydex is acceptable, too, but you must
remember that proper protection should a) arc over the breast area and not
lie flat on it, b) be padded underneath, and c) NOT NOT NOT be separate
cups!  OOH, more dangerous than no protection at all.


IMNSHO

I remain in Service,

HL Catherine Harwell, Lady Wife to Sir Conor macCinneide
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