Female female Stephanie Turner removed her mask and kneel in front of her transgender opponent.
Before a fight at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland this weekend, Turner, 31, made the decision not to compete with the Trans Redmond Sullivan athlete. And Turner also wanted to make sure that his refusal was taken on video so that the world could see it.
Turner came to the decision the day before the event when she checked the competition pools and saw that she would compete Redmond, which she had read in an article last year.
“I saw that I was going to be in a swimming pool with Redmond, and from there, I said:” Ok, let’s do it. I’m going to take the knee “, Turner told PK Press Club Digital.
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Fencer Stephanie Sullivan kneels before a fencing manager in the United States (Gracefulness of icons)
Turner crossed all of his warm-ups that day and continued to close in four fights before his match with the Trans athlete. When it came, she was “nervous and trembling”, but was sure of her decision.
“I knew what I had to do because the American fences had not listened to the objections of the women concerning [its gender eligibility policy]”Said Turner.
“I took one knee immediately.
“Redmond did not hear me, and he approaches me, and he thinks that I could be injured, or he does not understand what is going on. He asks:” Are you fine? “And I said,” I’m sorry.
And just after, Turner’s punishment by American fences began.
“Redmond said to me:” Well, you know, there is a member of the board of directors here supporting me, and there is a policy that recognizes me as a woman, so I am allowed to close, and you will be a black card “and I said:” I know, “said Turner.
A few minutes later, the referees treated Turner a black card, which represents the most serious penalty, leading to the expulsion of the tournament or the event for offenses of serious rules or an insoluble type behavior.
Turner said she was then escorted to the blows committee where she was to explain what she had done. She said that the members then gave her a copy of the association’s transgender policy and signaled a document recognizing the Carte Noire. Turner said she had signed the document in objections.
Then Turner was escorted out of the site, she said.
The female female Stephanie Turner kneels protesting in front of the transgender athlete Redmond Sullivan (Gracefulness of icons)
USA Fencing provided a statement to PK Press Club Digital sending the incident.
“American fences have adopted our current Policy of transgender and non -binary athletes In 2023. The policy was designed to extend access to fencing sport and create inclusive and safe spaces. Policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the capacity to participate in sports and was based on available research for the day, “the statement said.
“We respect the points of view on all sides and encourage our members to continue sharing them with us as the question evolves. It is important for the community of fences to engage in this dialogue, but we expect this conversation to be held respectfully, whether during our tournaments or in online spaces. The way to progress is out of discussion.”
A spokesperson for fencing in the United States also told PK Press Club Digital that Turner was not penalized for his position against trans inclusion, but simply for refusing to close.
“In the case of Stephanie Turner, his disqualification was not linked to any personal declaration, but was only the direct result of his decision to refuse to close an eligible opponent, which the rules of the fie clearly prohibit,” said the spokesman.
“According to the technical rules of fie (Fénération of international fences), in particular article T.113, a shooter is not authorized to refuse to close another closure correctly entered for any reason whatsoever. Under these rules, such a refusal leads to disqualification and corresponding sanctions. This policy exists to maintain the standards of equitable competition and preserve the integrity of the sport.” “”
Fencer Stephanie Sullivan kneels before a fencing manager in the United States (Gracefulness of icons)
Turner said she had heard nothing from the organization since the incident.
It was an incident that she had actively tried to avoid during previous events. Turner said she had previously refused to participate in several past closing events which included other transgender titles that she knew. It was a problem that she made an effort to stay informed of her own conscience and her security.
“In previous years, when I had experienced transgender shooters that were present, I simply did not register, but for this one, Redmond had to have registered after me,” said Turner.
“I said to myself:” You know what, I’m just going to give it to God. If this person presents himself at my event and is on my script, then I would take a knee, and that would be the will of God. “”
However, it was not a decision to which she came lightly.
Redmond has paid particular attention to the “Protect Women’s Sports” movement which has emerged in recent years, and the counterpoup and harassment facing the women who participated. She recalled the history of Riley Gaines held hostage and attacked at the San Francisco State University in April 2023.
The idea of the haunted Turner reaction, but was not enough to prevent it from taking the knee.
“It will probably destroy, at least for a moment, in my life. I don’t think it’s going to be easy for me from now on to go to closing tournaments. I don’t think it’s going to be easy for me in training,” said Turner. “It’s very difficult for me to do that.”
For Turner, one of the sacrifices that concerns them most is to disturb the friendships she has with people from the LGBT community, who, she said, did not currently know her position on the issue.
As a life democrat, Turner insists that she has never opposed LGBTQ people. But the question of transplanting female sports has prompted her to support the party, and she now identifies herself as a “new republican curator”.
“I voted in red the ticket this year,” said Turner. “It was like waking up in the lies of the consumer media … Just to look at so many of my friends to have this look with a glassy eyes while defending this policy because their brain cannot manage the possibility that their party or their position was false on this subject, and perhaps it is not a movement of civil rights, and they were misled.”
Turner added that she fully supports President Donald Trump by reducing funding for states that allow Trans athletes to participate in female and girls sports.
“Something must be done, and there are militants who have integrated into positions in sports bodies.”
