The ??? ??? ??first transgender professional boxer, Patricio Manuel, is now also representing Everlast in its "Be First" campaign.
The premier boxing brand spotlights inclusivity in sports with its campaign, championing other underdogs such as Jinji Martinez, an amputee boxer.
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Before Manuel transitioned, he was sidelined by an injury while competing in the 2012 Olympic trials, CNN reports.
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Manuel fought his way back into the ring but this time as a male fighter. He received a lot of backlash for this decision.
"I didn't know exactly what price I would have to pay in order to not only be myself, but continue my career in the sport. But that risk has been worth it. I get to be my true self without having to compromise any part of my identity," Manuel said in an email to Mashable.
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Everlast named their campaign after the boxing term, "be first," which encourages boxers to force their opponents to follow their lead.
"Everlast is humanizing the world of boxing in a way that's never been done before by shedding light on inspiring athletes like Patricio Manuel, the world’s first professional male boxer who is transgender ... this is the first step of many campaigns you can expect to see from Everlast within the next year that defy norms and highlight all kinds of fighters (not just those in the ring)," Everlast said in an email to Mashable.
UPDATE: Oct. 1, 2019, 2:20 p.m. EDTUpdated to include quotes from Manuel.
Topics Activism LGBTQ Social Good