#LetsGoPat: 1st Professional Transgender Boxer

My name is Patricio Manuel, but most people call me Pat. In the boxing world, I'm known as “Cacahuate,” which means ‘peanut’ in Spanish (my teammates named me this years ago due to my small head LOL). I am the first female-to-male transgender boxer in U.S. history - meaning I was assigned female at birth, and now live my life as a man (and compete in the male boxing division).

I was an amateur boxer for 15 years. When most of my peers were heading to college, I set my sights on the Olympics. I almost got there too - as a female boxer, I held five national titles and made it to the first-ever women’s Olympic boxing trials in 2012. Unfortunately, I suffered an injury to my shoulder during the trials and was medically disqualified from the tournament.

My Olympic dream was attached to me being a female athlete. It took losing the trials for me to confront my gender identity and publicly share the fact that I am transgender. Once I medically and legally transitioned, I decided to continue competing, but this time in the male division. The International Olympic Committee had already created a policy to allow trans athletes to compete, so USA Boxing used this as a guideline to create a policy for transgender boxers in the United States when I approached them about changing my gender division for competition.

To comply with USA Boxing regulations, I took two years off from boxing competitively to undergo hormone therapy. I got back in the ring, as a man in the amateur division, on May 5, 2016 and won my comeback fight. On September 4, 2018, I was granted a license by the California State Athletic Commission, making me the first transgender professional boxer in US history.

And on December 8, 2018, on a Golden Boy Promotions card (Oscar De La Hoya's company), I had my pro boxing debut in a fight against Hugo Aguilar - and I won in a unanimous decision.

My victory occurred against the backdrop of accelerating legislative, cultural and interpersonal violence against transgender people - including several bills seeking to ban transgender athletes from competing. In this political climate, my work as an advocate for trans people and especially trans athletes has grown. I've become a spokesperson for Uninterrupted (LeBron James' media company), Athlete Ally, and even the face of Everlast boxing. In 2019, I testified in front of the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland on behalf of transgender athletes, to help the IOC shape their 2021 framework on fairness, inclusion, and non-discrimination on the basis of gender identity. In early 2023, I debated at Oxford University's Union, arguing patriarchy, not gender identity itself, is the source of gender-based oppression.

But through it all, boxing has remained my true love. I meant what I said during my pro debut victory speech: "I'm not in here just for one show, for one fight - this is something I love. I'm not done with this sport, I'll be back." And while I've lost three years of competition due to the COVID pandemic, I've continued to train and spar regularly under the guidance of my coach. My sparring partners are cisgender men who are professional boxers in or around my weight class (super featherweight division - also known as junior lightweight, 130 pounds).

And now, I'm thrilled to share that I'll be on a Golden Boy Promotions fight card once more on Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Long Beach, California.

I was able to stay afloat financially through the pandemic by working remotely as a personal trainer and doing virtual keynote speaking. But as my fight date has gotten closer, I've cut back on everything but training. While focus is imperative for all pro boxers, as the first transgender boxer, I have a lot of naysayers debating whether I belong in the ring, or even whether I even deserve to exist at all. While the spotlight is on me, I want to prove transgender athletes have the right and the ability to compete at an elite level, as much as anyone else.

But like most boxers, I fully fund my own training, which can run as high as $2,500 per month when I need things like physical therapy, myofascial release and acupuncture to aid in recovery from constant impact. And, after my pro debut, my security has become an added concern as I've navigated steady online harassment and threats. I'm lucky to live in a quiet corner of a supportive Los Angeles County town where I have kind neighbors, but my rent and other costs of living have steadily risen, while my income has decreased.

And, it wasn't that high to begin with - contrary to popular belief, I've hardly been paid as an advocate or as a fighter. According to the National LGBTQ Task Force, the rate of Black transgender people living in extreme poverty ($10,000/year or less) is more than double the rate for transgender people of all races, four times the rate for Black people in general, and more than eight times the rate for people in the US in general. And for most of my adult life, that has been my story as well. While my family has been able to help me through the pandemic, our collective resources are now tapped out.

So, I'm asking for my community, fans and supporters to help me stay housed and resourced with all that I need to triumph during my 21st year of competition, through incredibly contentious conditions beyond the boxing ring.

Anyone who knows me knows I can be a very proud person, to the point that I have a hard time asking for support when I need it. But I want to believe that as much as I have naysayers, I have more supporters out there who want to see me continue fighting. It would mean a lot to me to have you, my community, as my collective sponsor, so I can prove to you that I am truly the People’s Champ for these times.

If you could support me by donating and then sharing this GoFundMe with your network on email and social media, I would greatly appreciate it. I know money is tight for so many - please know even $5 helps me get closer to my goal!

And if you can't join me live in Long Beach on March 18, you can stream the fight on DAZN Boxing. Please use the hashtag #LetsGoPat across all social media channels to cheer me on.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

~Pat

PS - the first $13,300 raised on this fundraiser was donated during my 2018 pro debut.