A study was conducted to describe male and female participation and success in both debate and individual events national competition and to identify areas of gender-based inequity. Data from three 1984 national tournaments (National Debate Tournament, American Forensic Association's National Individual Events Tournament, and the National Forensic Association's Individual Events Nationals) were analyzed to determine male/female distribution ratios for both preliminary rounds and elimination rounds of competition. Using these ratios, male/female participant and team comparisons were made in debate, while male/female participant comparison by event and event groupings were made in individual events. Exploratory gender research on forensics suggests that debate is perceived to be a male-dominated activity, and actual examination of the male/female participation level at the National Debate Tournament indicated that participation was in fact largely dominated by males. Exploratory research also suggests that individual events is perceived to be a more gender-balanced forensic activity. While descriptive data from the preliminary rounds of competition from the two individual events tournaments suggest a general balance in male/female participation ratios, analysis of the elimination rounds reflects a gender-based imbalance favoring male participants. Males also tended to dominate interpretive events, contrary to perceptions that these activities are more "feminine" and the most likely to provide barriers to male participation because of conflicting sex-role expectations. (Participation data are presented individually for each of the three tournaments.) (HTH)