Photograph by Roger Erickson for Out
In her exciting profile story of female MMA fighter Fallon Fox, writer Natasha Vargas-Cooper makes the point that:
"mixed martial arts is probably the last place an athlete would turn to have a rational conversation about post-structuralist gender identity. MMA is an inferno of primitive machismo; a delirious orgy of knees to the mouth and elbows to the nose; a greasy parade of gladiators. It is, in the words of Joyce Carol Oates, a 'romance of maleness.' Women MMA fighters are still a novelty side act: They don't hit as hard, they don't sell as many tickets, and they, ironically, don't bleed enough. Fox's own upcoming fight will be sandwiched between 15 male bouts."
That comes after Fox explains that she doesn't see herself as transgender, rather she's a "transsexual woman." Although she does admit, "I've gotten so much support from the trans community and the media. It just makes me feel like--there are bullies and bigots who are in MMA. I mean, that's why some fans are into MMA in the first place: They want to see people get beaten up. But I'm just going to ignore them and keep winning fights."
Read the full "Queen of Swords" story here.
