The beauty of the world today is that careers for women, even in previously known to be male-dominated areas, are quickly gaining traction. Many professional women fighters are doing very well in the mixed martial arts (MMA) industry. Among the reigning champions are lesbian fighters who came out and are proud of their sexuality.
How Inclusivity Changes Our Society
About a decade ago, more than half of the human population opposed the LGBTQ movement. Members who identified as gay or lesbian were the most marginalized in society, leaving them particularly vulnerable to discrimination, stigma, and violence. Now, society seems to be embracing a new perspective of family life, including full legal recognition of same-sex marriages.
This new movement allows young people to discover their sexuality and enjoy similar rights to straight people. It is also opening up the online dating world where you can find a perfect match, whether you are looking for a lesbian sugar mommy or a serious lesbian for a long-term relationship. Younger lesbians can just open a dating website and explore new opportunities without fear of being judged, which was never allowed before. A sugar mommy or a younger girlfriend, there are no limits nowadays. Acceptance makes previously alienated individuals more productive in their activities. Great social acceptance projects a more positive future for society.
Attitude Towards Lesbian and Gay Fighters
In the past, identifying as a gay or lesbian fighter in the arena was unheard of and unbecoming. However, that was until 2008 when Shad Smith, the first gay UFC fighter, came out of the closet. We have seen many more fighters follow this trend, including lesbian fighters. Hence, you would expect the attitude towards these sportspersons to be different. However, the fans have not yet come to terms with the development, which has seen most fighters choose to remain hidden.
MMA Stars Who are Open Lesbians
Throughout the MMA career, both men and women fighters work day and night to become more masculine and physically capable of matching their opponents. This makes straight women in the sport feel insecure with their femininity and end up dating more masculine men to create some balance. Other women become more comfortable with their sexuality and come out as lesbians. Here are some stars who are open lesbians.
Raquel Pennington
Raquel is an American martial artist competing in the UFC’s women’s featherweight division. She was a tomboy growing up and participated in numerous rough sports as a kid. She joined the MMA at 19 and has since excelled as a fighter.
Raquel candidly revealed that she was gay through a video where she also explained her challenges as a young lesbian fighter. She uses her position in her career as a voice to encourage young lesbians to be comfortable with their sexuality.
Jessica Andrade
Andrade is a pioneer in the lighting industry, where she competed in the women’s division as a flyweight. Andrade is known for not being in many interviews, but she has always made her sexuality public. She also talked about her difficulties and how hard it was for her to come out. In one of the recent interviews, Andrade shared some childhood trauma that played an essential part in the longevity of her secret about her sexuality.
It was an encouraging episode to watch Jessica and Liz, two lesbians who had come out, fighting in the same ring. Being gay has not always acted out in favor of Andrade, but she is glad to see the scenes slowly change.
Liz Carmouche
Carmouche is a bantamweight currently signed to the women’s division in the UFC. Growing up, Liz played soccer with boys, which was seen as a rough game. She still wanted to be active later in life after leaving the marine, where she worked as an aviation technician and decided to join martial arts. She knew she wanted to be a fighter on her first day in the arena.
As a late bloomer, Liz came out at 22, afraid to face the “repercussions” of her sexuality. She is the first lesbian-acclaimed fighter to compete in the UFC’s octagon. She is now a proud voice of lesbian fighters. She has physically shown her stand in the arena, wearing a pride flag mouthguard.
Conclusion
There is a stark contrast between the men and women divisions in the MMA. For many years, women’s sports have struggled to negate the gay players’ stereotype. Although this is not entirely true, several lesbian champions are doing very well in the industry. These women who are proud of their sexuality are changing the game. More and more lesbians in the sports industry feel free to open up about their sexuality and own it. The incredible solidarity between lesbian fighters should also be emulated in other athletic games.