While I typically devote Sundays to writing about individuals that we can all respect and admire, I am writing today about Stephanie Turner, who stood up for what she believed … actually she did not standup, but rather she knelt down.
Turner stepped away from competing in USA Fencing after receiving a 12-month probation for refusing to face trans athlete Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland in late March.
But the fallout of the controversy had an impact on the organization and its policies right away.
USA Fencing announced in late April that it is preparing to change its gender-eligibility policy. The proposed updated policy ensures that the women’s category “will be open exclusively to athletes of the female sex.” The men’s category “will be open to all other athletes who are otherwise eligible for competition.”
More than two months have passed since women’s fencer Stephanie Turnerwent viral after being punished by USA Fencing for kneeling in protest of a trans opponent.
And after nine weeks of immense public and federal scrutiny against USA Fencing in the aftermath of the incident, the organization amended two of its most controversial policies last weekend.
Just the other day she broke her silence after @usafencing reversed controversial policies — says the sport has “fallen into the hands of unpatriotic tyrants” and demands an audit of the organization’s leadership, social media, and online platforms.
My reaction … “You go, girl!”
6/18/25