that's what so annonyed me - it was fine to get kicked, take a knee or elbow to the face but god forbid a woman should get punched

I think it will take another 20 years before it's seen as more acceptable but it really needs some strong female role models. When I was training I studied fight tapes of guys because the women I watched were game but technically poor. I owe my killer left hook to the body to watching MAB, shadow boxing it, working it on the bag and then going looking for it in sparring. No one ever taught it me, I taught myself that one. Dropped one man and made another smart arse street fighter back peddle and stop messing about from that one punch. Gained plenty of respect from that one hand not punched any watermelons though I think that's what was holding me back.