‘Heroine’ fencer takes knee to protest transgender opponent​on April 3, 2025 at 6:57 pm

A fencer was disqualified from a women’s competition in Maryland after refusing to compete against a transgender challenger.

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The incident took place last weekend at the Cherry Blossom Open, which was held at the University of Maryland.

Viral video shows Stephanie Turner taking a knee in protest after standing across from Redmond Sullivan on the piste before their bout.

After officials conferred, Turner was shown a black card and informed she would not be allowed to continue in the women’s foil division.

Turner knew what she was going to do the night before the event when she checked the competition pools and saw she would be going up against the trans athlete.

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

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Turner had four matches before her faceoff against Sullivan, and while she admitted she felt “nervous and shaky,” she was confident with her choice.

“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.

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USA Fencing states that its transgender and non-binary policy, which was enacted in 2023, “is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day.”

It added: “USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we’re committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic and Paralympic movement.”

Despite knowing the rules, Turner was determined to take a stand, knowing she would get black-carded, which “represents the most severe penalty, leading to expulsion from the tournament or event for serious rule infractions or unsportsmanlike behaviour,” Fox News reported.

Turner was escorted out of the venue shortly after.

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The internet was enraged for Turner but also applauded her resolve.

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Author J.K. Rowling, podcast host Megyn Kelly and many others took to X to call Turner a “heroine.”

Women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines applauded the fencer’s move.

“Women should BOYcott any event/game/match against a man,” she wrote on X. “This is the way!”

However, tennis star Martina Navratilova was outraged for Turner.

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“This is what happens when female athletes protest!,” she wrote in an X post. “Anyone here still thinks this is fair??? I am fuming… and shame on @USAFencing, shame on you for doing this.”

Another X user agreed: “She should never have had to do this. I celebrate her that she has, but she shouldn’t have to, she shouldn’t be punished and no other woman should have to do it.”

Turner anticipated backlash for her decision, but it wasn’t going to stop her from taking a knee.

“It will probably, at least for a moment, destroy my life,” she told Fox News. “I don’t think that it’s going to be easy for me from now on going to fencing tournaments. I don’t think it’s going to be easy for me at practice. It’s very hard for me to do this.”

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