Ronda Rousey Addresses Women's Equality While Receiving 6th Degree Black Belt in Judo
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This past weekend in Columbus, Ohio, former UFC women's champion Ronda Rousey was promoted to 6th degree black belt in judo alongside her mother, AnnMaria DeMars.
The ceremony was held in part with Rousey being inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame at the Arnold Classic, which is held annually in Columbus.
During her belt promotion ceremony, Rousey addressed women's equality after her mother talked about starting judo and being told that girls had to wear different belts from the boys if they wanted to train. Rousey's mother refused and passed along that same vigor to her daughter, who never even understood what it meant to be considered lesser than her male competition on the judo mats.
“I think I'm just so lucky that one generation removed, the idea of having a white stripe on a belt was something completely foreign to me because it wasn't hammered into me like it really was into my mom when she was younger that you are less,” Rousey said. “That your belt has to have a white stripe on it because you are never going to be equal to the man.
“I feel like when my kids are growing up, they're not even going to be able to see another girl with a white stripe on their belt and wonder what it means.”
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Watch as Rousey receives her belt promotion alongside her mother from this past weekend in Ohio. With their promotion, Rousey and DeMars became the highest ranked mother and daughter pairing in judo in the United States, if not the world.
While Rousey was promoted to 6th degree black belt, she is still following along a path forged by her mother, who was elevated to 7th degree black belt. They are considered among the most accomplished judoka in the world.
