Fact-Checking 3 MMA Transgender Fighter Fox Untrue Myths

Amid the clamor and controversy, much has been said about the story concerning the MMA transgender fighter rumored to have broken a competitor’s skull – but what really happened?

Is this an authentic concern about allowing trans people to compete in professional sports or a cynical way to further damage the rights and equality offered to the marginalized groups in society?

Here we’ll run through three of the most prevalent myths, aiming to provide you with facts to draw your own conclusions.

Transgender MMA Fighter Crushes Skull of Female Opponent

Fact? No. Lie? Not entirely. In 2014, Fox was fighting an opponent. Her competitor suffered a concussion and an orbital bone fracture. 

She required seven staples to her head – and went on to tell reporters that she wasn’t sure whether her performance was deficient because her opponent ‘was born a man.’

Here’s the thing.

A headline of ‘Transgender MMA Fighter Breaks Skull’ is intended only to do one thing, incite prejudice and calls for trans athletes to be banned.

Experts in MMA have confirmed that the incident happened but that it wasn’t breaking any rules and is prevalent throughout the sport. Regardless of the gender identity of any participant.

In short:

• Broken orbital bones happen at least four times a year in pro-MMA.
• Facial fractures occur all the time, and it’s easy to grab attention with headlines mentioning ‘the skull’ – but the orbital bone is the structure around the eye socket, not the part of the skull we’d automatically imagine.

It wasn’t a brain injury, she didn’t crush it, and it’s extremely common. Case Closed.

Ok, next myth – is it true that this MMA incident happened because Fallon is transgender? 

First, we’d point out that Fox has lost plenty of fights, so it’s simply inaccurate to try and argue that she is better than all the female MMA fighters out there (she lost her fourth pro-level match). 

Next, let’s think about the reasoning that is often used to debate the so-called unfair advantage:

• There are musculoskeletal differences between genetic males and females: True.
• People born male have naturally greater muscle mass: True.
• Men have higher organic testosterone levels than women: True.

These myths conveniently ignore the truth – to become a transgender woman, people need to undergo substantial hormonal therapy, rendering most of those perceived advantages obsolete.

Athletic fairness doesn’t discriminate. You can’t start five meters ahead in a 100-meter sprint because you come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged city or were born into extreme poverty.

Therefore, do MMA trans women automatically beat their opponents because they’re trans – no. 

Fighting Fox is Unsafe Because She is a Transgender Athlete

Final myth – that Fox poses a danger to opponents (outside of the apparent risks of MMA to start with) because she is trans.

This rumor circulates around a fight back in 2013, when Fox knocked out her competitor in 39 seconds. That, at least, is correct.

However, another – CIS female – fighter knocked that very same opponent out cold later that same year. In only 36 seconds.

You can see the trend here, and it applies equally regardless of the birth gender of the other professional MMA fighter.

We’re calling that a myth, pure and simple.

How Many Athletes Are Transgender?

The debate about trans athletes in high-level sports isn’t going anywhere – but it’s vital to consider the facts and the science behind athletic ability before jumping to assumptions about parity.

Many governing bodies are taking advice on the issue if they haven’t already permitted trans people to be treated with equal rights.

There are 1.4 million adults in the US living as trans, a tiny 0.6% of the population.

It seems crazy that people, who will use different best dating sites purely to protect themselves from abuse, and makeup such a small proportion of people, attract such venom for trying to compete at something they’re clearly just pretty good at!

For now, the debate rumbles on, but let’s keep the facts straight, and keep it truthful when looking at the myths so common in professional sport.

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