@marshray @drchaos @gerrymcgovern Women were regularly educated in fighting, I think that’s quite uncontested, but most were probably educated with a focus on defence, although that’s murkier, and has probably been made murky by misogyny.

During the whole Edo period, I would say most samurai focus was on ”appropriate behaviour, etiquette and the right cultural preparation”, regardless of sex. But I’m prepared to be challenged by the course I’m starting tomorrow in Edo era history.

@marshray You're missing the point. The point is not so much "women were warriors" it is "our reductive telling of history* is heavily tilted to disregard most of what is important, and so our idea of what 'samurai' means, is just plain wrong."

We're so used to "hero stories" and main characters that we're oblivious to this.

*) let's be honest, this is true for the stories we tell today.

@drchaos @ahltorp @gerrymcgovern