Women’s Fencer opens on refusing transgender opponent, accepting punishment and recoil

Women’s ships Stephanie Turner took out her mask and got a knee for her transgender opponent.

Prior to a fight in the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland at the weekend, Turner, 31, made the decision not to compete against Transatleet Redmond Sullivan. And Turner also wanted to ensure that her refusal on video was caught so that the world could see.

Turner came to the event the night before the event when she checked the competition pools and saw that she would compete against Redmond, about which she had read in an article last year.

“I saw that I would be in a swimming pool with Redmond, and from there I said,” Okay, let’s do it. I’m going to take the knee, “Turner told Fox News Digital.

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Turner went on all her warming that day and continued in four attacks before her matchup with the transatlete. When it came, she was ‘nervous and shaky’, but she was sure of her decision.

“I knew what to do because USA Fencing had not listened to the objections of women with regard to women [its gender eligibility policy]”Turner said.

“I took a knee at the time.

“Redmond has not heard me and he comes to me and he thinks I can be injured, or he doesn’t understand what is happening. He asks,” Are it going? ” And I said: I am sorry.

And immediately afterwards the punishment of Turner started by screening the US.

“Redmond says to me:” You know, there is a member on the board of directors here who supports me, and there is a policy that recognizes me as a woman, so I can scrape and you will be blackcarded, “and I said,” I know, “I know,” Turner said.

Minutes later, the referees gymnast gave a black card, which represents the most serious fine, which leads to removal from the tournament or event for serious rule device or unsporting behavior.

Turner said she was then accompanied to the Bout committee where she had to explain what she did. She says that the members subsequently handed her a copy of the transgender policy of the association and had her signed a document in which the black card was recognized. Turner said she had signed the document under objection.

Then Turner was accompanied from the location, she said.

Women’s ships Stephanie Turner kneels in protest for transgenderatleet Redmond Sullivan (Thanks to icons)

USA Fencing gave a statement to Fox News Digital about the incident.

“USA screens have determined our current Transgender and non-binary athlete policy In 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the Screensport and to create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in sports and was based on the available research of the day, “was the explanation.

“We respect the views to all parties and encourage our members to continue to share them with us as the issue evolves. It is important that the Screens Community deals with this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be performed respectfully, either at our tournaments or in online spaces.

A spokesperson for the US screens also told Fox News Digital that Turner was not punished for her position against Trans -inclusion, but simply for refusing fence.

“In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification was not related to a personal statement, but was only the direct result of her decision to refuse an eligible opponent that clearly prohibit the rules,” said the spokesperson.

“According to De Fie (International Fencing Federation) Technical Rules, in particular Article T.113, a Schermer is not permitted to refuse another correctly introduced Schekier for whatever reason. Under these rules, such refusal results in disqualification and the corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to retain the standards of the sport and the integrity of the sport.”

Fencer Stephanie Sullivan kneels for an USA Fencing official (Thanks to icons)

Turner said she has not heard from the organization since the incident.

It was an incident that she had actively tried to avoid at earlier events. Turner said that she previously refused to enter several witches for the witches from the past, including other transgender ships they knew. It is a problem that she has made an attempt to stay up to date with her own consciousness and safety.

“In previous years, when I knew that transgender ships were present, I would just not register, but Redmond must have registered behind me for this,” Turner said.

“I had something like that:” You know what, I’m just going to give it to God. If this person pops up for my event and is on my script, I would take a knee, and that would be God’s will. “

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However, it was not a decision where she came slightly.

Redmond paid a lot of attention to the “Protect Women’s Sports” movement that has arisen in recent years, and the recoil and intimidation with which the women were confronted with it. She remembered the story of Riley Gaines, who was held hostage and attacked at San Francisco State University in April 2023.

The idea of ​​the return chased Turner, but was not enough to prevent her from taking the knee.

“It will probably, at least for a moment, destroy my life. I don’t think it will be easy for me from now on to screen tournaments. I don’t think it will be easy for me in practice,” Turner said. “It’s very difficult for me to do this.”

For Turner, one of the sacrifices she is most concerned about is hinders the friendships she has with people in the LGBT community, who, according to her, currently does not know about her position on the issue.

As a lifelong Democrat, Turner is insisting that she has never resisted LGBTQ people. But the issue of trans -inclusion of women’s sports has taken her away from supporting the party, and she now identifies herself as a ‘new Republican conservative’.

“I voted Red Down the ticket this year,” Turner said. “It was as if you woke up with the lies of the regular media … Just to see so many of my friends have these glassy eyes while they only defend this policy because their brains cannot manage that their party or their position has been wrong, and perhaps this is not a civil rights movement, and they have been misled.”

Turner added that she fully supports President Donald Trump, cutting financing to states with which Trans -Athletes can compete in women’s and girls sports.

“Something needs to be done and there are activists who have embedded in authoritative positions in sports bodies.”

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