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USA Fencing has a problem. It’s allowing unhinged men—men who think they are women—to compete against female athletes. But one woman decided enough was enough. She refused to play along with the charade. Instead of engaging in a farce of a match, she took a knee in protest. The response? A black card, a disqualification, and yet another example of how women’s sports are being sacrificed on the altar of gender ideology.
You’d think that with 2025 ushering in the golden era of America—thanks to President Donald Trump’s second term and his flurry of executive orders—this nonsense would be a thing of the past. But here we are. And if this incident proves anything, it’s that the fight for women’s sports isn’t over. Not by a long shot.
A female fencer is speaking out after she was disqualified from a tournament in Maryland for taking a knee and refusing to compete against a transgender-identifying male opponent.
Stephanie Turner, 31, was black-carded and booted from a tournament this past weekend for refusing to compete against Redmond Sullivan, who is male and identifies as transgender. Sullivan formerly competed against males and was permitted by USA Fencing to compete in the women’s tournament, the organization confirmed to The Daily Wire.
Ever since I first heard about men being allowed to compete in women’s sports—biological males who claim to be female taking spots on women’s teams and in women’s competitions—and after seeing countless people insist that women should simply refuse to compete against them, my gut reaction was a resounding NO! Women shouldn’t have to refuse. This shouldn’t even be a debate. Men competing in women’s sports should never be allowed in the first place. Why should women be forced to walk away from something that was created for them?
But, clearly, I was wrong. Because if these spineless organizations are going to keep bending the knee to gender ideology and allowing men to bulldoze their way into women’s sports, then yes—women will have to take a stand. And if that means refusing to play, then so be it.
Historic Protest: Female Fencer Takes a Knee in Bout Against Male Opponent, Faces Immediate Disqualification
After receiving a black card for refusing to compete against a man, Redmond Sullivan’s female opponent was expelled from the @USAFencing event at the Univ. of… pic.twitter.com/IloSnrb2Iu
— ICONS (@icons_women) April 2, 2025
Honestly, I’d love to say I don’t have a dog in this fight. After all, I’m a 58-year-old woman who doesn’t compete in sports. But the truth is, I am a woman, and I care about protecting future generations from this insanity. So yes, I do have a dog in this fight. And I wish more women—and men—would step up. But too many people stay silent, as if something has to personally affect them before they’ll speak out.
At least we still have big names like J.K. Rowling and now Martina Navratilova speaking out against this latest insanity—this time in fencing.
But it was Stephanie Turner, the actual woman who took a stand and refused to compete against a male fencer pretending to be female, was the one punished. Her reward for defending women’s sports? Disqualification for refusing to participate in the farce.
What is going to have to happen other than recognizable names simply speaking out against the transcult? We’ve got to make sure the individual organizations won’t allow this nonsense.
I’m not sure how long USA Fencing has had its transgender policy, but it seems like there’s been a recent effort to dismantle the organization’s DEI agenda. A Facebook post mentioned upcoming board meetings where some tried to push back against it—only to be voted down.
Then, a little more digging brought up the latest board meeting notes.
What we Voted “No” on
Motion to Dismantle the DEIB Office: After the Board voted down Mr. Geva’s previous DEIB proposal in December, a variation of that motion was offered in the February meeting. The Board once again rejected that proposal, as the management of the national office staff is a matter of Operations. USA Fencing’s General Counsel has also evaluated the slate of new Executive Orders, and determined that they do not apply to USA Fencing at this time. – USA Fencing.org
I take it they are talking about the executive orders Trump has signed regarding women’s sports?
In February 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” aiming to protect female athletes by banning transgender women from competing in women’s sports. The order requires federal funds to be withheld from educational programs that allow transgender females to participate in women’s competitions, citing violations of Title IX.
That being said, it seems USA Fencing isn’t receiving federal funds, so the executive order does not, indeed, apply to them. And once again, we’re at a dead end. And the fact that I’m sitting here, scouring the internet for any shred of information on this topic, is downright absurd.
Speaking with Fox News, Turner said USA Fencing has failed to listen to women’s views on trans athletes participating in their sport.
“I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women’s objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy],” Turner said. “I took a knee immediately at that point. Redmond was under the impression that I was going to start fencing. So when I took the knee, I looked at the ref and said, ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women’s tournament. And I will not fence this individual.” – Breitbart News
Women are speaking up, taking a stand, and refusing to participate, over and over. Yet, it feels like their voices are falling on deaf ears. Despite their efforts, nothing changes, and it’s incredibly frustrating. We’re going to need to organize in smaller, more focused groups and target specific boards and organizations. It’s going to take precision, not just broad efforts.
Let’s continue amplifying voices like Stephanie Turner’s. Riley Gaines is a well-known figure, too, and she’s been a target of this type of discrimination as well. I appreciate all she does—her television appearances, books, and speaking engagements. She’s active with media outreach and collaborates with advocacy groups, which is all valuable. Still, I can’t help but wish there was more we could do to push this issue further.
In the end, this fight for women’s sports is far from over. Stephanie Turner’s brave stand should be a wake-up call for USA Fencing and other sports organizations that are sacrificing women’s opportunities for gender ideology. If they continue to ignore the voices of female athletes, women will have no choice but to keep taking a stand—whether through protests, refusing to participate, or demanding change.
It’s frustrating, but necessary. Victory Girl Nina also writes about this topic and tells us how the NCAA did an end run around the trans issues in women’s sports.
The work isn’t done, and we need more than just high-profile voices; we need all of us holding these organizations accountable. Let’s ensure that women’s sports remain a space where fairness and opportunity prevail – for women.
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John C. says: Back when I was young, a mediocre man trying to improve his athletic chances by sneaking into women’s sports was called “cheating,” and the mediocre man was held as an object of derision. Good times, good times…
draigh says: Title IX is changing sports. No longer will we have equality in setting up Women’s sports. Eventually those men who cannot compete with other men will move over to the Trans-Women category, driving out true Women Athletes. I guess Governments and Athletic Governing Bodies are not very “pro-women” after all!
Lewis says: A friend keeps calling for trans-Womens class. That won’t work because they’ll all end up competing against men again, right? That is why they moved to women’s sports in the first place, right?
GWB says: Maybe if you called it the Fabulous Class it would be better?
GWB says: determined that they do not apply to USA Fencing at this time.
Hmmmm, seems they are an NGO/non-profit that is appointed by the US Olympics Committee to govern that one sport under the Amateur Sports Act of 1978. Sure seems like you’re a government agent, then, regardless of your non-profit status. And, therefore, subject to the EO (since basically everything has to go to the Executive branch to be executed). But, it sounds like this needs to get dropped onto the Olympics Committee’s plate to decertify them.
Yet, it feels like their voices are falling on deaf ears.
Well, yeah. That’s the point. Remember this trans thing is a religious doctrine. It is all about overcoming Nature with human will and “reason.” It’s stupid, but it is part of the concept of Progressivism (all Marxism to some extent). It’s about making Paradise on Earth, and part of that is evolving beyond Nature via our own power. And none of these religious zealots are ever going to listen unless you do one of a couple of things – mostly threaten their way of life and their funding (intimately connected).
As to fencing…
There are actually classes within fencing where men and women compete together. They are all essentially beginners’ categories and entirely in foil. The reason is that beginner fencers are more concerned with trying to just not fall flat on their face and actually remember what a parry is, and foil is almost entirely technique at that stage.
However, once you move out of foil beginners, you get separation of the sexes. Once speed and strength become involved – via better technique/different weapons – almost all the weapon get stomped by the guys. Now, as in many other things, some women can compete against the guys and win frequently. But most of the women cannot. As a category they will generally lose to me, as a category.
In fencing, though, generally the women are not going to get hurt (maybe in saber) because body contact is very much a no-no. You wear padded suits and use blunt weapons precisely to prevent anyone from truly hurting anyone else. But, ultimately, strength and size show, if you pit two otherwise equal fencers against one another.
I am rather disappointed in USA Fencing, as a fencer (who hasn’t done so in too many years). But they’ve been on the Progressive gravy train for years.But the only way to actually get rid of this stuff is to re-evangelize Americans into Christian morals and principles.
And very few of the feminists will allow that, no matter how much they hate transgenderism (almost solely where it impacts their own clubs and niches, and not men’s). So you’re stuck with a bunch of people who asked for all of the things that brought us here, but don’t like the result.
Ed says: It makes you wonder where the feminists are when men try dominate women by claiming they are actually women.
rbj1 says: Revoke their tax exempt status.
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