Alex Von Have - Podcast Episode 12

I was lucky enough to make friends with a new face that I began to see sweating and gasping regularly around the gym at Muay Thai School USA in North Hollywood, CA.  Muay Thai is an intimate sport and everyone who enters a training area enters a sanctuary, so it wasn’t long before I said hello to Alex and we were soon laughing and sharing stories.  It wasn’t long before I came to know that Alex is a transgendered female to male Muay Thai student.  I’m really glad that I got to meet Alex before I met “transgender-Alex” because he’s still the same Alex even after sharing bits of his awesome story. So Alex and I talked more, and trained more and talked more until I invited him to chat with me on the Teep This Podcast.  Why did I invite him onto the podcast?  Because I was both moved by and curious about Alex the more we hung out.

As a quick refresher in the event you may not know; I started this podcast in 2016 as a means by which to educate myself on the sport and culture of Muay Thai.  Since it’s inception, hosting and producing this podcast has become one of the most informative vehicles in my life today and although it’s a ton of work and I find maintaining the podcast episodes a challenge, the reward for sharing the human stories that I encounter along the way far outweighs the required effort.

Alex Von Have is a genius of creativity, courage and experience.  At only 25 years of age, he has seen and experienced more than many of the people that I know today.  I look forward to sharing more with my friend Alex and growing together in our practice and love of Muay Thai.  Please enjoy the podcast episode, do share it with your friends and loved ones and do keep an open mind and open heart because in my humble opinion, the most powerful thing that we can ever do individually is to Be The Change that we wish to see in our world.  Alex says that whatever we do, we should “…do it explicitly.”  So let us stand firm in harmony with all living things and look upon one another with compassion and above all else, be grateful for each breath that we are blessed to enjoy.  Sawasdee krap.

Alex Von Have (pronounced: von, há-vah) is a motion picture visual effects artist, illustrator and Muay Thai student.  He is also very likely to be the first ever transgendered individual to step into a Muay Thai ring.