MMA Fighter reveals transgender status

Mixed martial arts fighter Fallon Fox came out as a transgender woman on March 5th after a telephone call from a reporter who had discovered her transgender status.

In an interview with Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler, Fox – who has competed twice and won both times in fights sponsored by the Championship Fighting Alliance – explained why she hadn’t come out sooner.

“People in the gym, people I train with, it’s been great, it’s been awesome. I’m just a woman to them. I don’t want that to go away,” she said.

Fox’s greatest reservation about coming out as transgender is that her fighting career may be taken away. There has been some question about the validity of her license, which is currently being reviewed by the California State Athletics Commission. Also, although she underwent gender reassignment surgery and supplemental hormone therapy six years ago, sports commentators disagree about the fairness of allowing Fox to fight in the women’s category.

“I’m technically, legally, physically and mentally female. Everything about me is female,” Fox said in her interview.”I happen to fall into the transgender category, but I rather describe myself as a woman first, transgender woman second.”

Ultimate Fighting Championship commentator Joe Rogan has been one of the most outspoken opponents of Fox’s continuing to fight women.

“She’s not really a she,” he said on his podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience. “She’s a transgender, post-op person. The operation doesn’t shave down your bone density.”

So far, Fox’s manager has not been able to find another opponent for her. Many prospective opponents have cited a possible physical advantage as a reason for not fighting.

If Fox is allowed to continue fighting, it will be a big step in the controversy of transgender people in sports.