Tag: Alana McLaughlin

Alana McLaughlin Aims At Right-Wing Politicians For Anti-Trans Legislation

First, there was Fallon Fox, then Alana McLaughlin entered into the picture as the second open trans fighter competing in MMA.

Their fateful journeys have not been met without sacrifice and controversy. The 38-year-old McLaughlin who made her trans…

Alana McLaughlin

First, there was Fallon Fox, then Alana McLaughlin entered into the picture as the second open trans fighter competing in MMA.

Their fateful journeys have not been met without sacrifice and controversy. The 38-year-old McLaughlin who made her transition from male to female is taking issue with some recent legislation that was signed into Texas law.

The U.S. state of Texas effectively banned trans women from competing in girls’ athletics in public school settings. While the bill was signed by Texan Governor Greg Abbott, the fulfillment of its obligations will take place starting Jan. 18 of 2022.

Within the details of the new law, it adds that only original birth certificates will be accepted. While some in the trans communities have proceeded to amend their birth certificate to reflect the gender they identify with, those certificates will not be admitted under the lew legislation.

Of course, for Alana McLaughlin, the news is perhaps obstructing her overall goal of helping the trans community. However, when it comes to courage, McLaughlin has already shown as much by fighting as the second-only, openly trans woman in a male-dominated sport like MMA.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV92geYrj7Z/

After hearing of the new law in Texas enacted by Governor Greg Abbott, Alana McLaughlin, who has been an unlikely crusader for LGBT in sports, briefly mentioned how the law falls short.

“They are using transgender children as scapegoat and compromising their health and safety to score political points with their party and their constituents. Alana McLaughlin told The Guardian.

“Trans kids deserve equal access to sports. Trans people deserve equal access to public life. McLaughlin wrote.

It appears Alana McLaughlin believes that trans kids are being used as political footballs to grandstand and appease constituents. McLaughlin’s passion for social issues continues to draw headlines and touches on a perceived divide present in the United States.

“We deserve love and safety and inclusion, and make no mistake: we will win this fight, and history will not remember dinosaurs like Abbott and DeSantis kindly.” McLaughlin concluded.

The open trans fighter made her successful MMA debut in Sept. Alana McLaughlin fought through adversity in her debut performance, and earned a rear-naked choke victory in round two. Following the emphatic win, “Lady Feral” received a barrel of death threats. As her foray into MMA continues, Alana McLaughlin is starting to shift societal focus on issues important to her identity as a trans woman.

What is your opinion on trans women being able to compete in female sports?

Continue Reading Alana McLaughlin Aims At Right-Wing Politicians For Anti-Trans Legislation at MMA News.

Alana McGlaughlin Slams Texas For Transgender Sports Bill

Alana McGlaughlinAlana McGlaughlin claims that trans people are “underrepresented in sports” and that seems unlikely to change after the American State of Texas introduced a bill that banned trans girls from competing in female sports in schools. Texas Governor Greg Abbott made headlines last month when he signed bill TX HB 25. The bill will take […]

Alana McGlaughlin

Alana McGlaughlin claims that trans people are “underrepresented in sports” and that seems unlikely to change after the American State of Texas introduced a bill that banned trans girls from competing in female sports in schools.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott made headlines last month when he signed bill TX HB 25. The bill will take effect from 18th January 2022 and will see Texas join the likes of Idaho West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Florida, Montana, Alabama, Arkansas and South Dakota in banning trans girls from competing in female sports.

Trans MMA fighter Alana McGlaughlin believes history will not remember kindly those who are currently introducing laws that further marginalize trans people.

“The intentions of right-wing politicians like Abbott and DeSantis are clear,” McGlaughlin wrote in The Guardian. “They are using transgender children as scapegoat and compromising their health and safety to score political points with their party and their constituents.

“Trans kids deserve equal access to sports,” McGlaughlin added. “Trans people deserve equal access to public life. We deserve love and safety and inclusion, and make no mistake: we will win this fight, and history will not remember dinosaurs like Abbott and DeSantis kindly.”

McGlaughlin claims that trans people are underrepresented in sports.

“This exclusionary and inflammatory rhetoric should be unacceptable in the halls of government and the pages of public media, but the political right perceives transgender people as an easy target,” McGlaughlin wrote.

“The fact is that we are statistically underrepresented in sports. There is no widespread transgender dominance in any sport anywhere in the world.”

Who is Alana McGlaughlin?

The 38-year-old came to prominence when she picked up a win in her MMA debut at Combate in September. McLaughlin survived being badly rocked in the first round before coming on strong in the second to secure a submission win over Celine Provost. McLaughlin’s debut was highlighted in the media because she is the first transgender person to compete in MMA since Fallon Fox last fought in 2014.

McLaughlin came out as transgender in 2003, aged 20, but she was denied gender reassignment surgery by her mother and subsequently joined the army, serving in Afghanistan. She was later diagnosed with PTSD, before undergoing gender reassignment surgery in 2016.

McGlaughlin hasn’t exactly been welcomed with open arms by the MMA community. The 1-0 fighter has been called a cheat by people she believes are “transphobes.” Sean Strickland, Michael Bisping, Sean O’Malley and Jake Shields are just some of the prominent figures to speak out against trans women competing against cisgender women since McGlaughlin’s MMA debut.

Do you agree with Alana McGlaughlin? Are trans people underrepresented in sports?

Alana McLaughlin Says She’s Received Death Threats On Social Media

Following the successful MMA debut of Alana McLaughlin, the openly transgender fighter has admitted she is receiving death threats in the wake of her victory. Featured on Combate Global on Sept. 9, McLaughlin, a former U.S. Special Services member, made her debut against fellow newcomer Celine Provost. The fight lasted two rounds. After finishing the […]

Continue Reading Alana McLaughlin Says She’s Received Death Threats On Social Media at MMA News.

Following the successful MMA debut of Alana McLaughlin, the openly transgender fighter has admitted she is receiving death threats in the wake of her victory.

Featured on Combate Global on Sept. 9, McLaughlin, a former U.S. Special Services member, made her debut against fellow newcomer Celine Provost. The fight lasted two rounds. After finishing the contest with a rear-naked choke victory, McLaughlin’s hand was raised, but little did she know how the world would react to her seemingly controversial performance.

To give folks an idea of how trans people are treated on social media: I just had a 2-year-old Instagram pic taken down for “inciting violence” because I captioned it “come at me bro” while I was receiving thousands of death threats that “don’t violate community standards” “No appeal possible, of course.” McLaughlin posted on Twitter.

Apparently, the trans fighter is receiving unfair treatment on social media. It is not 100% clear if the death threats began before or after her controversial MMA debut. Nonetheless, the 1-0 fighter has admitted to receiving thousands of death threats at some point. McLaughlin also shared that images from her past with dubious captions are being flagged for “inciting violence” on her social media platforms.

The performance has indeed drawn criticism, as well as former and current UFC fighters who took issue with McLaughlin’s presence in MMA. In fact, UFC middleweight Sean Strickland blasted McLaughlin and her transition and went so far as to say, “get out of women’s MMA, coward”. In addition, former UFC fighter Jake Shields and rising star “Suga” Sean O’Malley also made their reactions public.

It appears McLaughlin is taking the negative attention in stride for the most part, but death threats should be taken seriously. In the coming days, if the threats worsen, MMA News will keep you up to date on the story.

What do you make of Alana McLaughlin’s presence in MMA?

Continue Reading Alana McLaughlin Says She’s Received Death Threats On Social Media at MMA News.

Alana McLaughlin Has Received ‘Thousands Of Death Threats’ Since MMA Debut

Alana McLaughlinAlana McLaughlin has caused a stir in the MMA community since making her professional debut at Combate earlier this month. The transgender fighter emerged victoriously, but the fight was not all one-way traffic. Celine Provost put a beating on her early before McLaughlin was able to turn the tables in round two and pick up […]

Alana McLaughlin

Alana McLaughlin has caused a stir in the MMA community since making her professional debut at Combate earlier this month.

The transgender fighter emerged victoriously, but the fight was not all one-way traffic. Celine Provost put a beating on her early before McLaughlin was able to turn the tables in round two and pick up a submission victory.

Following her debut, several prominent figures in the MMA world spoke out against McLaughlin and other transgender women squaring off against cisgender women inside the Octagon.

Sean Strickland, Sean O’Malley, Michael Bisping, Megan Anderson, and Demian Maia are just some of the elite-level fighters who have spoken out following McLaughlin’s debut.

In the immediate aftermath of her fight, McLaughlin revealed she had received many messages that labeled her a “cheater.”

“Good morning, friends, supporters and others! I’m getting a lot of variations of the same nasty messages calling me a cheater like I didn’t just get beat on for a round and a half. Y’all need to show Céline Provost some respect and take your concern trolling elsewhere,” Alana McLaughlin wrote on social media. “She almost finished me more than once, and on scorecards she definitely won that first round. This is the only post I’ll make about this. Transphobes are just making my block hand stronger.”

On Monday, the 38-year-old took to Twitter to reveal that the messages she has been receiving lately are much more sinister. McLaughlin claims she has been getting “thousands of death threats” since debuting in MMA and that the social media companies are doing nothing to stop them. In fact, it’s she who has been penalized by Instagram for “inciting violence.”  

“To give folks an idea of how trans people are treated on social media: I just had a 2-year-old Instagram pic taken down for “inciting violence” because I captioned it “come at me bro” while I was receiving thousands of death threats that “don’t violate community standards,” McLaughin wrote.

“No appeal possible, of course,” McLaughlin added.

Do you think social media companies should do more to protect users such as Alana McLaughlin from trolling?

Alana McLaughlin Shares Details That Led To A Special MMA Debut

Alana McLaughlin and her arduous life journey were embedded with identity issues from the start, but that ultimately led to her successful MMA debut. At the age of ten, McLaughlin’s parents began to take notice that their young child had an indelible desire to transition. McLaughlin’s actions were often met with pushback, as her parents […]

Continue Reading Alana McLaughlin Shares Details That Led To A Special MMA Debut at MMA News.

Alana McLaughlin and her arduous life journey were embedded with identity issues from the start, but that ultimately led to her successful MMA debut.

At the age of ten, McLaughlin’s parents began to take notice that their young child had an indelible desire to transition. McLaughlin’s actions were often met with pushback, as her parents have been resistant to her identity/transgender issues. While enduring the throes of physical and sexual abuse at a young age, she has fought persistently to be identified in the way she views herself. McLaughlin made history by becoming the second U.S. transgender fighter to come out.

In addition, she won her fight against newcomer Celine Provost by rear-naked choke at the recent Combate Global event.

McLaughlin was raped and traumatized throughout much of her early childhood. Dirt-poor, growing up in South Carolina, McLaughlin began taking estrogen pills she bought online behind her parents’ backs. Once the medication began to make her chest swell, she stopped taking it in fear of being caught by her parents. Years later and still puzzled by identity issues, McLaughlin’s struggles led her to join the U.S. Special Forces.

On the September 10th Combate Global card, McLaughlin–the second openly transgender fighter won and did so with a tight rear-naked choke submission. Much like her life, McLaughlin faced adversity early on in the fight but rallied back to make history for the transgender community. Upon hearing about McLaughlin’s success as the first open U.S. trans fighter, some outspoken MMA personalities like Sean Strickland have taken umbrage with that and especially her latest win.

After seizing her first win in MMA, McLaughlin believes her painful life journey has prepared her for the high-pressure moments of cage fighting. Once on the battlefield bandaging up wounded soldiers, McLaughlin is confident her military experience will only pay dividends down the line in her fighting career.

“On one hand inside I know who I am, but I’m trying to deny it,” said McLaughlin via The Guadian. “I’m telling myself: ‘No, you can do this, you can do this!’ I’m giving myself a pep talk, telling myself I am a man.”

Raped at a young age, McLaughlin was constantly hiding in thorny raspberry fields as a kid to deter the trauma that followed her during childhood. Her struggles and tribulations are out in the open, and that in itself is a giant win for the transgender community.

“My whole life I was a runt, I was undersized, I was bullied, I was raped, I was beaten, like I did not have an easy time,” said McLaughlin. “The story of my life has been trying to physically resist people that were larger and stronger and more skilled than me.”

While much of her life was spent avoiding physical altercations, McLaughlin is an MMA fighter now. After securing the win in her debut, fans will be clamoring to see what’s next for “Lady Feral”. A living inspiration for the trans community, McLaughlin’s presence in MMA has been exciting and polarizing.

Is there a place for transgender athletes in all sports?

Continue Reading Alana McLaughlin Shares Details That Led To A Special MMA Debut at MMA News.

Transgender Fighter’s Recent Win Draws Anger From Former UFC Fighter

One week from yesterday, former U.S. Special forces member Alana McLaughlin sent shockwaves through the MMA community after picking up her first professional win at Combate Global. Unfortunately, the shockwaves were not a result of her performance. Rather, the reaction that fellow MMA fighters had following the realization that she was openly out as a […]

Continue Reading Transgender Fighter’s Recent Win Draws Anger From Former UFC Fighter at MMA News.

One week from yesterday, former U.S. Special forces member Alana McLaughlin sent shockwaves through the MMA community after picking up her first professional win at Combate Global.

Unfortunately, the shockwaves were not a result of her performance. Rather, the reaction that fellow MMA fighters had following the realization that she was openly out as a trans athlete.

Transgenderism has become a hot topic in sports as entities grapple with how to either regulate or deregulate the participants. Recently, The International Olympic Committee ruled that transgender athletes can compete in the Olympics with no surgeries required. However, the sacred sporting event did implement rules depending on the circumstances of the transition. The ruling insists that female-to-male athletes can compete without restriction, but male-to-female athletes must undergo hormone therapy.

Following McLaughlin’s big win, former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields was taken back that any commission would allow this person to fight a woman.

“This is just insane that any fight show or commission would allow a trans person to fight a women” Jake Shields posted.

Despite the palpable criticisms, Alana McLaughlin won her debut in dramatic fashion. Initially, it seemed like she might be in trouble against newcomer Celine Provost, but momentum swung back in her favor. McLaughlin became the second openly trans person to win at an MMA event.

It appears Jake Shields isn’t the only fighter to take issue with McLaughlin’s recent activities either. UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley is the latest fighter to emerge and air his grievances by implying that her physical stature alone is enough to raise red flags.

In accordance with the United States Anti Doping Agency, the UFC currently allows transgender athletes to perform under their company’s set of rules. Many of the stipulations in the 9-page release refer to therapeutic-use exemptions when readying transgender athletes for official competition.

Do you think transgender athletes have an unfair physical advantage in sports?

Continue Reading Transgender Fighter’s Recent Win Draws Anger From Former UFC Fighter at MMA News.