18-year-old Mack Beggs has just won the Texas girls’ Class 6A 110-pound (49kg) division for the second time! First off, well done!
The win was bittersweet, however, as vicious booing filled the arena after the final pin.
Beggs has been the centre of controversy since he began transitioning from female to male, taking low doses of testosterone.
A debate erupted, with many feeling it was unfair for Beggs to be competing in the girls class, sparking further debates surrounding trans rights.
Speaking to Dallas Morning News, Beggs explained “That (the criticism) didn’t stop me from competing. That didn’t stop me from being who I was,”
“It sure as hell didn’t stop me from doing what I wanted to do in the past, and it won’t stop me from what I want to do in the future."
Beggs had asked to compete in the boys division, but Texas high school rules require individuals to compete under the gender on their birth certificate.
Beggs' mother, Angela McNew told AP: “He has so much respect for all the girls he wrestles.
“People think Mack has been beating up on girls … The girls he wrestles with, they are tough. It has more to do with skill and discipline than strength.”
After the video appeared online, fans have come to support Beggs via the medium of Twitter.
Although Beggs and his family have stated repeatedly that he would like to wrestle boys, the law does not yet allow it. Lets hope for a progressive change!