Tag: transgender

Joe Rogan believes transgender athletes would get ‘Murdered’ if allowed to fight in the UFC

Joe RoganJoe Rogan believes transgender fighters would get “murdered” competing in the UFC. Speaking alongside guests Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin during a recent episode of his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, the longtime UFC commentator was in the middle of discussing diversity recruiting in the armed forces when he considered what things would look […]

Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan believes transgender fighters would get “murdered” competing in the UFC.

Speaking alongside guests Francis Foster and Konstantin Kisin during a recent episode of his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, the longtime UFC commentator was in the middle of discussing diversity recruiting in the armed forces when he considered what things would look like if the UFC were required to abide by similar guidelines and sign transgender athletes to its roster.

“Imagine if the UFC had to have diversity,” Rogan said. “Do you know what a problem that would be? If they had to have like a certain amount of trans folks… If you had numbers you had to achieve, it wasn’t the best fighters, it was just like who can meet certain criteria. There’s gonna be a bunch of people who get murdered” (h/t Newsweek).

“There’s gonna be a certain percentage of people who are there because they’re just awesome and a certain percentage of people that they have to hire in order to meet these DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] standards,” Rogan said as a hypothetical situation for the UFC. “Imagine if the U.K. had one representative that was supposed to be fighting Francis Ngannou, you have one person who’s supposed to step up and fight that guy and it says, ‘Well the right move is to send in a non-binary woman because they don’t get represented in the UFC.’

The debate over trans athletes in competitive sports has been raging on for many years, though there have been very few examples in mixed martial arts. The biggest being trans fighter Fallon Fox. Making her pro debut in 2012, Fox immediately sparked a date within the community after rattling off three straight wins by way of finish. Following her first loss to Ashlee Evans-Smith, the debate largely quieted down with Fox only competing two more times before retiring from the sport in 2014.

However, the debate among fighters and fans was reinvigorated when Alana McLaughlin, a former member of the U.S. Army Special Forces and trans woman, made her MMA debut under the Combate Global banner in 2021. She earned a second-round submission against Celine Provost but has yet to book a second appearance after McLaughlin and the promotion faced severe backlash from the combat sports community.

Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields attacked McLaughlin on multiple occasions in the wake of the controversy, speaking out against her, members of the trans community, and their allies on a fairly regular basis via social media.

Do you agree with Joe Rogan’s assessment of trans fighters potentially competing in the UFC?

The Association of Ringside Physicians will not support the inclusion of transgender athletes in combat sports

TransgenderThe Association of Ringside Physicians “does not currently support transgender athlete competition against cisgender athletes in combat sports.” That is according to a recent position paper released by the ARP on June 13. The report comes courtesy of Combat Sports Law, which was the first outlet to report on the ARP’s stance when it comes […]

Transgender

The Association of Ringside Physicians “does not currently support transgender athlete competition against cisgender athletes in combat sports.”

That is according to a recent position paper released by the ARP on June 13. The report comes courtesy of Combat Sports Law, which was the first outlet to report on the ARP’s stance when it comes to transgender athletes in combat sports. The document itself states:

“The Association of Ringside Physicians (ARP) is committed to the concept of fair competition. It advocates for two equally skilled and matched athletes to keep bouts fair, competitive, entertaining, and, most importantly, safe for all combatants.

“Numerous studies have proven that transgender women may have a competitive athletic advantage against otherwise matched cisgender women. Likewise, transgender men may have a competitive disadvantage against cisgender men.

“These differences—both anatomic and physiologic–persist despite normalization of sex hormone levels and create disparities in competitive abilities that are not compatible with the spirit of fair competition. More importantly, allowing transgender athletes to compete against cisgender athletes in combat sports, which already involve significant risk of serious injury, unnecessarily raises the risk of injury due to these differences.

“Hence, the ARP does not currently support transgender athlete competition against cisgender athletes in combat sports” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Looking Back at Joe Rogan’s Comments About Transgender Fighter Fallon Fox

Transgender athletes have come under fire in recent years, but it’s a subject that has been heavily debated for quite some time. Much of it dates back to 2012 when Fallon Fox, a trans woman, made her professional mixed martial arts debut under the King of the Cage banner.

Fox continued to find fights for herself throughout 2013 and 2014, but as she continued to rack up wins, some fairly prominent figures in the sport decided to speak out, including long-time UFC commentator Joe Rogan.

“She calls herself a woman but… I tend to disagree,” Rogan said on his podcast in 2013. “She used to be a man but now she has had, she’s a transgender which is (the) official term that means you’ve gone through it, right? And she wants to be able to fight women in MMA. I say no f*cking way. I say if you had a d*ck at one point in time, you also have all the bone structure that comes with having a d*ck. You have bigger hands, you have bigger shoulder joints. You’re a f*cking man. That’s a man, OK? I don’t care if you don’t have a d*ck anymore.”

“She’s not really a she,” Rogan added. “She’s a transgender, post-op person.”

Alana McLaughlin is the Latest Trans Fighter to Come Under Fire

Much of the conversation around trans athletes, specifically in MMA, died down in 2015 after Fallon Fox retired from the sport with a 5-1 record. However, the conversation was once again at the forefront following the Combate Global debut of trans fighter Alana McLaughlin in 2021. Lady Feral’ scored a second-round rear-naked choke over her opponent, Celine Provost, and immediately sparked a debate regarding the fairness of trans women competing against cisgender women in MMA.

Since her one appearance in the cage, McLaughlin has failed to secure a second fight and believes the overwhelming amount of backlash is a direct result.

“I think I really had high hopes when I got that first pro fight,” McLaughlin told Bloody Elbow. “And I thought there was going to be more to it. But I also think that the executives at Combate (Global) sort of underestimated the vitriol that was going to be coming my way.”

“So yeah, I don’t know, I guess I started getting the whole pie in the sky, thinking I was going to have a shot at something,” she said. “And now that seems further away. And like we pointed out, I’m 40. I wanted, really, my goal was just to have more fights than Fallon Fox did. But at this point, even that’s looking unlikely. I don’t know. It’s tough right now.”

McLaughlin has also found herself in the news quite a bit lately, though it’s far from her own doing. Ex-UFC standout Jake Shields has specifically taken aim at McLaughlin, transgendered individuals, and their allies in a series of increasingly hostile threats. Shields even went so far as to suggest that anyone who aids in the transition of a child should be subject to public execution.

Trans athletes are likely to be a hot-button issue for the foreseeable future, but spewing hate and physical threats will only serve to create further division and animosity. We can’t pretend to know the answer, but Jake Shields certainly doesn’t have it.

WBC President Announces Plans For Transgender Boxing Categories

The president of the World Boxing Council (WBC), Mauricio Sulaimán, has revealed plans for the creation of transgender categories. The debate surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport has reached an all-time high in recent years. That&…

The president of the World Boxing Council (WBC), Mauricio Sulaimán, has revealed plans for the creation of transgender categories. The debate surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in sport has reached an all-time high in recent years. That’s certainly been the case in the combat sports realm, where perceptions surrounding possible mismatches that could arise…

Continue Reading WBC President Announces Plans For Transgender Boxing Categories at MMA News.

WBC Cites ‘Fairness’ & ‘Equal Competition’ For Trans Boxing Ban

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has announced that athletes will be required to compete against those who share the same biological sex. As the debate on the inclusion of transgender athletes continues, a number of sports have come to a conclusion on th…

The World Boxing Council (WBC) has announced that athletes will be required to compete against those who share the same biological sex. As the debate on the inclusion of transgender athletes continues, a number of sports have come to a conclusion on the matter whilst awaiting further scientific evidence on the advantages that could be…

Continue Reading WBC Cites ‘Fairness’ & ‘Equal Competition’ For Trans Boxing Ban at MMA News.

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.

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.