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Pro MMA Fighter Fallon Fox Comes Out As A Trans Woman

fallon-foxProfessional mixed martial artist Fallon Fox has been forced out of the closet as a transsexual woman.

Fox transitioned ten years ago, but only after enduring ex-gay conversion therapy at the behest of her father who maintained that she was simply a confused gay man. The therapist tried to convince Fox she was a gay man so he could in effect turn her into a straight man.

She began hormone therapy as soon as her therapy sessions ended and six years ago she had gender reassignment surgery. Since then she’s taken up MMA fighting, which she describes as her reason for getting up in the morning. However, that reason became threatened after a call from a reporter who had found out her secret.

“For years I’ve known at some point it’s very likely the shoe would drop,” Fox told Outsports. “Maybe someone would guess that I’m trans. Maybe they would know me from my life before I transitioned. I’ve been waiting for that phone call to happen. And Saturday night, it happened.”

The reporter called her during a victory dinner, asking questions about her past, and within 48 hours her former trainer called after being contacted by the same reporter. On Monday, Fox revealed to Sports Illustrated what she’s been afraid to for the past few years: that she is a trans woman.

Fox has been a dominant fighter in the ring, having recently won her second professional bout with a 39-second knockout, but her next fight in Coral Gables, FL is up in the air due to some interstate red tape. Her license approval — issued in California — is under investigation with Florida’s Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation.

Fox did not disclose her transgender status because she was not asked to and the Florida State Boxing Commission “is in the process of updating the rules for professional MMA events.”

Fox tells Outsports that despite being born in  a male body, she doesn’t have some unfair advantage over her opponents:

“With a little more education,” she said, “they might be able to see that they’re wrong. I’m not the only one who’s been dominant.”

She argues that after 10 years of hormone therapy, and six years after gender-reassignment surgery, any advantage she had from being born in a male body have been erased. She is even recognized by the State of Illinois as female on her driver license.

“I’m technically, legally, physically and mentally female,” she said. “Everything about me is female.”

Though she has not spoken to her parents in almost two yerars, Fox at least still has her manager,  Brett Atchley, in her corner.

“She’s gone through this process and it’s been more of a challenge, and it’s taken more of a commitment, than anyone she steps into the cage with,” Atchley said. “It doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is that she was strong enough and trusted me enough to tell me.”

Fallon Fox is the subject of an upcoming documentary, a preview of which can be seen below:

Photo: Fallon Fox’s Facebook

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