Transgender fighter facing obstacles to get licensed | MMA NEWS
Move over Ronda Rousey, TRT, and anything else you can think is controversial or headline making, because we have a new female fighter ready to make headlines. Fallon Fox (2-0) is the first transgender professional mixed martial arts fighter.
Fallon Fox was born a man, and in 2006 decided to undergo gender reassignment surgery along with the supplemental hormonal therapy. The fighter decided to go pro as a female in May of 2012, and her first fight ended by an opponent’s injury in the 1st round. In her second pro fight she knocked out Ericka Newsome at CFA 10 with a knee 39 seconds into the opening round.
Fox is scheduled to fight on April 20th in the semi-finals of CFA’s women’s featherweight tournament. Her participation in that event is currently being held up due to an investigation by Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation. “Our department is currently investigating allegations pertaining to the information provided on [Fox's] application,” wrote Sandi Copes Poreda, Director of Communications for the DBPR, which oversees the Florida State Boxing Commission.
Her application in Florida states that she held an MMA combatant’s license issued in California, but reports are that application is still under review. Fox has also admitted that she never disclosed her transgender surgery or any other medical documents because she was never asked for any.
This is a very perplexing and interesting story to say the very least. Society tells us that we are to treat and recognize transgenders as the gender that they recognize with, whether it is male or female. When applying for the license at some point a birth certificate or something that would raise a question of Fox’s birth gender would be requested or seen.
Chief Executive Officer Foster from the California State Athletic Commission said this recently:
“CSAC staff handled this without notifying me of the unusual circumstances,” said Foster. “Because this is the first of its kind situation, this matter should have been referred to me for review under the commission’s medical review panel, which ultimately makes a decision in how to proceed in a case like this. I’m taking appropriate actions to make sure this protocol is followed next time.”
No one has come out and said that Fox should or should not be allowed to fight as a woman against other women. As Officer Foster stated this is something that needs to be investigated though. The fact is men and women are born differently. They have different genetic makeups, and for the most part men can be physically stronger and faster. Being born a man may give Fox an advantage against her fellow female fighters.
So, what do the commissions do? Let her fight? Or only let her fight against other men? All I will say is you may be able to change the cover of the book, but the story inside the book never changes. Fox will always have the genetic makeup of a man. She may be licensed to fight, but whether or not any female will fight her is another question.
Quotes courtesy of SI.com
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Cousin it shouldn’t be allowed to fight at all
She should be allowed to fight women, but only under the consent of the opposing female fighter after being told that she is transgender. They should be aware of the fact before accepting the fight.
Do they allow this type of thing in the Olympics? I dont see how it can be fair; it probably can’t be, but it also opens up a whole can of worms transgenders could dominate women’s MMA.
Well she has no nuts so…
Cyborg has been doing this for a while. What’s the big deal?
Man….this is the SECOND transgender…..everyone knows Cyborg was the first.
She shouldn’t be allowed to hold any titles or belts as a woman, and should only fight women if they agree in my opinion.
I’d fight her. I’m a woman. But I wouldn’t fight her if I held a title. Then again I’d fight any guy for a challenge, but not a belt that I held.
that’s a stupid thing to say. ‘i’d fight any guy’ yeh nice one love. there’s a reason guys aren’t allowed to hit on women.
You condescending bigot. Try hitting this woman and you’ll have a war, and all your friends will laugh at you as I beat you down. Silly boy.
This is Obama’s progressive America for you.
This guy has taken the war against women too far…
This is a ****ing joke. This person is a ****ing joke. And he is a coward. What a piece of shit. Could not cut it as a man and has to go and fight women. What an insult to both genders, and the people training and backing this clown to fight should be shunned, and humiliated and made to be the pieces of garbage that they are.
****ing pathetic.
So basically they are letting a man with a mutilated penis fight in womans division MMA?
That is an unfair advantage. this has nothing to do with equality for transgenders, this has to do with a transgender abusing the power he was born with to hurt real women in the cage.
This should not be possible.
Its all gone horribly wrong.
oh MMA you never fail to amaze me.
This does seem pretty unfair. I am surprised this is the first time this ever comes up. I dont see how you can let it happen though. There’s a reason why men and women compete separetly. I am curious how he\she would fair in the womens division.
SHE’S HOT!!!!!!!
I’LL TRAIN HER…. GRAPPLE WITH HER!
WE STAY IN ALBUQUERQUE….. WE’RE USE TO THIS KIND OF STUFF!!! COME ON DOWN…. SOUNDS LIKE FUN!!!
XOXO
i like how MMAjunkie suspended the comments on the same article on their website hahaha
The should not seperate men from woman if they already seperate by ten pound increments
Hey shit Dick!!! Take the **** out of your ass and fight like a man and leave the ladies alone.