Culture

When I first arrived to teach in Ulsan, South Korea, of February this year, I anticipated life being different. I knew that I was thrust into a homogeneous society but I did not know how different it would feel. Not only was everyone the same color, but they all spoke Korean and in some cases dressed the same. In my city, I did not see any people of color.

"Go ahead, call me a bitch. It’s one of the nicest things you could say about me."

The Heart of the Game is a film that chronicles the struggle of an African American girl, Darnellia Russell, fighting for her civil rights as a young mother to play the game she was divinely gifted to play

Fallon Fox is an MMA fighter with a record of 5-1. She competes as a featherweight and is the first openly transgender MMA fighter.

I have an admission to make.

It seems from this side of the coin, when I encounter others who say they admire what I do, they appear to believe that I had this whole tough trans woman thing all figured out from the jump. Believe me, this is far from the reality. As a matter of fact, I suppose that I was looking for something to help me “figure things out,” as many other women do when I first stepped into an MMA gym.

Fallon Fox is an MMA fighter with a record of 5-1. She competes as a featherweight and is the first openly transgender MMA fighter.

I have an admission to make.

It seems from this side of the coin, when I encounter others who say they admire what I do, they appear to believe that I had this whole tough trans woman thing all figured out from the jump. Believe me, this is far from the reality. As a matter of fact, I suppose that I was looking for something to help me “figure things out,” as many other women do when I first stepped into an MMA gym.

Like booster engines emptied of fuel, my limbs become disposable, useless tanks as the blood rushes from them.

In 2015’s newsworthy year-end reviews, Baltimore will be mentioned. 

"If you are, like me, 5’5, brunette and prone to being apple shaped, you’re not going to morph overnight into a leggy blonde Amazon by the power of the pea."