Female fencer takes knee rather than face transgender opponent in viral clip

Fencer Stephanie Turner decided to take a knee rather than face a transgender opponent at the Cherry Blossom event hosted at the University of Maryland on Sunday. WSYX

Fencer Stephanie Turner decided to take a knee rather than face a transgender opponent.

The defiant move came during the Cherry Blossom event hosted at the University of Maryland on Sunday. Video circulating on social media shows Turner dropping to her knee and removing her protective face mask as her opponent, Redmond Sullivan, watches.

Sullivan then approaches Turner, who shakes her head while remaining on her knee. The two have a brief exchange before Sullivan walks away.

Turner’s official result from the event is listed on Fencing Tracker as “DNF” — did not finish. Reacting to the clip was women’s sports activist Riley Gaines.

“Female fencer takes a knee and receives disqualification for refusing to compete against a man competing on the women’s team at @WagnerCollege,” Gaines wrote on X. “THIS is how you say enough is enough. BOYcott!!! Kudos to this woman for taking a stand.”

USA Fencing, which organized the event, did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.

In early February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

In the order, Trump said allowing boys and men to compete in women’s sports is demeaning, unfair and dangerous to women and girls. He said it denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.

“It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity and truth,” the order read. In March, two Republican lawmakers, Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, and Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah, sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee demanding that it bar transgender competitors from women’s events. Fencing is an Olympic sport.

Transgender fencer Liz Kocab in 2023 sparked outrage in her world title victory over 14-time champion Marja-Liisa Someroja of Finland. Gaines also spoke out against Kocab, writing “winning a title as a male in the women’s category doesn’t make you a champion.”

“It makes you an entitled cheat,” Gaines added.

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