Expert May Whitley's self-defense tutorial for women aired on TV in 1933. It’s still totally badass.

With women's safety becoming an increasingly pressing global issue, self-defense skills are more important than ever. While news reports often highlight gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination, knowing survival tactics can empower women in dangerous situations. One of the earliest demonstrations of such empowerment came in 1933, when London-based self-defense expert May Whitley took the stage. Alongside her partner, Charles Cawkell, Whitley showcased jiujitsu techniques, challenging traditional gender roles and inspiring countless spectators. With poise and confidence, she demonstrated how to effectively fend off an attacker.

"As soon as I realize I am going to be attacked, I hold my back more firmly to my side," she explained while illustrating ways to skillfully dislocate an attacker's elbow and defend oneself. But wait! What if the attackers try to attack from the back? Well, Whitley even had a brilliant solution for that. She further demonstrates how to break free from a dangerous attacker's grip and take them down forcefully. One after the other, Whitley went on to demonstrate dynamic ways of fighting an attacker. Interestingly, throughout the stage show, Whitley remained extremely calm and composed, oozing a sense of stability while explaining the techniques with clarity. Notably, the exceptional stage show by Whitley and her partner Cawkell was titled, "The Weaker Sex."

As soon as Whitley concluded her stage performance, the screen displayed the message, "Slow motion demonstrates exactly how 7-stone-odd, scientifically applied, can defeat 14 stone." Meanwhile, when the video was shared by u/bside313 on Reddit, u/jackf1ack commented, "'Um…Ma’am, you said you were going to repeatedly and forcefully throw me to the ground?' 'Why yes, that is quite correct.' 'Then where are the mats?' 'Mats? If I’d wanted a pansy, I’d have called on the florist, now come at me!'" Similarly, u/alarming-charge-2371 commented, "What in the aikido, I loved it more than a Charlie Chaplin film." u/reddit_sells_ya_data wrote, "Me turning up to BJJ for the first time in a full suit."

On a related note, as reported by Mental Floss, Whitley and her partner ruled over London in the 1930s with her outstanding stage performances on self-defense. However, by 1934, Whitley and Cawkell, a member of Britain's first international Judo team, broke the partnership. Whitley then joined James Harrison, another popular Judoka. Additionally, on March 17, 1935, The Straits Times published an article, emphasizing how Whitley grabbed Ahmed Abdullah's (a Turkish millionaire) attention. The article whose headline read, "Ju-Jitsu Girl to Wed Rich Turk," revealed that the Turkish millionaire's father was a rich tobacco merchant, making Whitley the only heir of the wealth.

While Abdullah's family initially opposed their wedding, Whitley was apparently heard saying that she could convert to Islam. The outlet quoted her, "I am to be accepted into Muhammedanism.” Everything seemed to be fine but suddenly without any proper explanation, Whitley's media coverage stopped after her controversial statement. Moreover, Martial arts historian, Joe Svinth, suggested that "May Whitley" might have been a stage name that was finally abandoned.