Young Woman Takes Knee For Womens Sports

Stephanie Turner Takes a Stand at Cherry Blossom Open, Disqualified After Refusing to Fence Transgender Opponent

By Marie O’Nealle

male athlete Redmond Sullivan

Baltimore, Maryland — The Cherry Blossom Open, typically a quiet showcase for regional fencing talent, became the center of national attention on March 29, 2025, when female fencer Stephanie Turner made a bold and controversial stand. As she stepped onto the strip to face her scheduled opponent, a male athlete named Redmond Sullivan, Turner took a knee and refused to compete.

“I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women’s tournament. And I will not fence this individual,” Turner said, standing firmly as the room fell into stunned silence. Officials from USA Fencing promptly disqualified her for failing to engage in the bout, citing rules that require athletes to compete against any eligible opponent.

The governing body issued a statement emphasizing that Turner’s removal was based solely on her refusal to participate, not the content of her beliefs. According to the organization, the rules of the International Fencing Federation mandate that all competitors must be treated equally under the eligibility guidelines, which currently allow transgender women to compete in women’s divisions under specific criteria.

Reactions to Turner’s protest have been swift and divided. Supporters have applauded her for defending women’s sports and raising concerns about fairness and biology in female competition. Critics, however, have accused her of undermining inclusion and violating the spirit of sport. Online, the story spread quickly, sparking a firestorm of debate across social media platforms. Hashtags like #StandWithStephanie and #LetThemPlay began trending within hours of the tournament’s conclusion.

Redmond Sullivan, the fencer at the center of the controversy, has so far refrained from extensive public comment but issued a brief social media post later that day. “I come to compete, not to divide. Sport should be about skill, not identity politics,” Sullivan wrote.

Turner, who has been a prominent figure on the amateur fencing circuit for the past several years, acknowledged the consequences of her decision. “I knew exactly what I was doing. I didn’t take this lightly. If this ends my fencing career, I accept that. But I will not stay silent.” Her protest comes amid a broader and increasingly tense global conversation about male participation in women’s sports. From swimming to cycling, governing bodies, athletes, and advocacy groups remain locked in debate over what fairness, inclusion, and science mean for the future of competition. For now, Stephanie Turner’s act of defiance has left an unmistakable mark on the sport of fencing.