First transgender MMA fighter

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1556415-mma-transgender-fighter-looking-to-get-licensed?hpt=hp_t2

http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/193/909/FallonFoxFacebookOfficialpic3-6-13_original_crop_exact.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75

MMA: Transgender Fighter Looking to Get Licensed
BY JORDY MCELROY (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON MARCH 6, 2013
Nearly a month removed from women headlining in the UFC, the MMA world faces another controversial hurdle in Fallon Fox, the sport’s first known transgender participant.

The story was broken by MMA journalist Loretta Hunt after Fallon Fox exclusively revealed to Sports Illustrated that she was a transgender fighter.

According to Sports Illustrated, Fox underwent sex reassignment surgery back in 2006, which included supplemental hormonal therapy.

In her professional MMA debut, she defeated Elisha Helsper in the first round by injury stoppage.

Her second bout took place over the weekend in Coral Gables, Florida, at Cage Fighting Alliance 10, where she earned a 39-second knockout victory over Ericka Newsome in the quarterfinals of the promotion’s eight-woman featherweight tournament.

Unfortunately for Fox, licensing issues could keep her from progressing any further in the tournament.

Sports Illustrated was informed by Sandi Copes Poreda, Director of Communications for Florida’s Department of Business and Regulation, that Fox’s application for MMA licensure is currently under investigation.

“Our department is currently investigating allegations pertaining to the information provided on [Fox’s] application,” wrote Poreda.

In her Florida application, Fox claimed that she had already been licensed by the California State Athletic Commission earlier in the year. The confirmation of licensure approved in other jurisdictions generally looks good on an application and typically makes the process run much smoother.

Fox told MMAJunkie she didn’t knowingly provide the wrong information to the Florida commission, and she honestly believed she had been approved for license in California.

Andy Foster, Executive Director of the California State Athletic Commission, confirmed the state agency had only mailed Fox a receipt for her $60 application, not a license to compete. Fox’s application remains under review by the California commission.

“I think it’s imperative to remember that the Florida commission allowed this fight, not the California commission,” said Foster, according to Sports Illustrated.

"California merely received and is processing the application. We’re working on the necessary medical reviews. We simply have an application. CSAC staff handled this without notifying me of the unusual circumstances.

“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.”

Fox was slated to fight Allanna Jones in the semifinals on April 20 at CFA 11, but everything will depend on whether or not she is finally granted a license to compete.

For those interested, Outsports is putting together a documentary on Fox’s courageous journey of acceptance in the MMA world. A preview of the upcoming feature has already been placed on the MMA website’s YouTube page.

Straight up thought this was gonna be about sirc

This is pretty interesting. We used to have a transgender BJJ fighter around here, but I think she only posted a couple of times. I would be interesting to hear her view of this.

I personally wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I’m not a female fighter, so what the hell do I know?

I should just write out a post that says “I’m a dumbass, I’m a dumbass” and refer to it every time I want to post, but… not this time.

If I’ve only learned one thing in my brief martial arts history, it would be that a female can and will kick my ass. My answer to what constitutes a fair fight is a) similar/equal skill; b) similar/equal weight. Let her fight!

Why worry? I trained for a number of years with someone just like her. I have to say it was a long time before the penny dropped but even so, it had nothing to do with me.

If Ladies are happy to compete with her, then why worry?

A friend of mine is TG and a friend of Kendall Grove; she’s interested in fighting MMA too so I just sent her this link.

I am impressed, I have to say. I am very comfortable that I stumbled across this in my seek for one thing relating to this.

I realize this is borderline necrothread but I just read it and felt I had to add something.

I don’t know if it’s so much a matter of ‘if ladies are happy to compete with her’ as much as ‘if she’s accepted as a competitor they don’t have a choice’.

Some people ( I am not included in this ) still feel that males have a physical gender advantage over females and that a gender change gives her all the advantages of a man while giving her the sexuality of a woman.

It does open a whole gender bender issue - allowing her to fight in the womens event would mean that realistically any male who is taking similar hormones should be allowed to fight in the womens event (without discrimination of surgery). With the increasing lines being blurred already between men and women athletics and genetic advantages being called into question [ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/sports/olympics/critics-say-olympic-sex-verification-policy-is-a-failure.html?ref=castersemenya ] the line gets harder and harder to draw.

Genetics has always played advantages within athletic bouts - but as modern science gives us the capabilities to mimic genetic advantages it gets harder and harder to decide who is legitimate and who isn’t. And weather issues like gender bending and competing in the opposite sex are even valid anymore.

Personally I’d like to see an ‘Open Gender’ division where it is controlled entirely by weight. I would imagine women would do rather badly at first; but rapidly learn to compete and even win. Perhaps it’s time to stop looking and gender and start looking at body mass and capabilities.

As for the article; I wouldn’t even know where to start with such a delicate issue. If she’s a capable fighter; what’s stopping her entering the featherweight mens events? The pendulum swings both ways and if they won’t let her into the womens event I’m sure they’ll let her into the mens.

I don’t suppose anyone has an update.

Edit found it:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1651437-fallon-fox-laments-on-victory-over-allanna-jones-haters-and-unique-submission

This is like the 3rd thread about Fallon Fox. Someone should merge them, like maybe a moderator or something.

previous 2 threads:

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=120448

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=120501

[QUOTE=Tranquil Suit;2788373]

previous 2 threads:

[/QUOTE]LOL those aren’t “previous.”

Looks in a dictionary

I don’t get it…

[QUOTE=Tranquil Suit;2788390]Looks in a dictionary

I don’t get it…[/QUOTE]

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=120448

Posted On:
4/09/2013 12:14pm

http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=120501

Posted On:
4/13/2013 7:16am

and this thread:
Posted On:
3/08/2013 8:18pm

Gotcha. thx

Okay, to make it more ontopic:

Let’s be real, Fallon Fox is too old and unskillful to make it to the top 10 wmma.

This wave of adverse publicity is all she got and unless she’s gonna get that freak fight with Cyborg (not happening), it’s about to blow over. The end.

In the meantime she’s gonna
a) beat up a few more female cans with her unfair advantage
b) move up in level and get beat up

The first woman to beat her will get a good chunk of namevalue and… meh whatever. I just don’t care about this. Soon enough, she will dissipate into obscurity anyway.