Even though President Donald Trump officially decreed that there are only two genders, many governing bodies in sports are still happy to erase women’s athletics.

One recent example is the story of Stephanie Turner, who fences for the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia. In late March, Turner competed at the Cherry Blossom Open event in Maryland. (This is an event put on by USA Fencing — Capitol Division.) In her 12 years of competing, Turner has not had to face a male opponent. Furthermore, she has purposefully tried to avoid tournaments where she could be put in that position ever since transgenderism became the social justice darling of the Left.

However, because governing bodies like USA Fencing are actively pushing left-wing agendas, it was only a matter of time for Turner. As she herself told reporters, “It’s not as if I can just continue to keep canceling or avoiding tournaments because that becomes expensive — and then ultimately I’d never be able to fence if I was just avoiding every tournament where there was a transgender person.”

During last month’s tournament, Turner noticed she was set to fence against Redmond Sullivan, a male who identifies as “transgender.” Turner decided that she was going to take a stand and peacefully protest. Ergo, when it came time to fence him, she took a knee and forfeited her fight. When the referee asked her why, Turner explained that this was a women’s tournament. When Sullivan confronted her, she told him, “I’m sorry, but I will not fence you. You’re a man, and I’m a woman, and this is a women’s tournament. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you.”

Turner was then black-carded and kicked out of the tournament. Right now, this appears to have been a career-ending move.

Other female athletes have sounded off on Turner’s bravery and also this injustice. Tennis legend (and lesbian) Martina Navratilova posted on X, “This is what happens when female athletes protest! Anyone here still thinks this is fair??? I am fuming… and shame on @USAFencing, shame on you for doing this. How dare you throw women under the gender bulls**t bus!!!”

Former NCAA D1 female fencer Juliana Peceli added her own two cents, stating, “As a retired D1 @NCAA fencer, I was forced to compete against men who claimed to be women. Female athletes dedicate our lives to our sport, only to have men take our spots, our titles, and our future.”

What did USA Fencing have to say for itself? First, it justified its decision by saying that disqualifying Turner was standard procedure when a fencer refuses to compete. It’s in the rulebook. However, on April 3, there was a follow-up comment. It wasn’t “We’re sorry.” Instead, it condemned Turner for her “hate speech/hateful actions.”

pic.twitter.com/XHTR4imfIS

— USA Fencing (@USAFencing) April 3, 2025

What is more hateful? Going along with someone’s fantasy, participating in their lies, and creating a situation where other competitors can get hurt? Or saying, No, I will not fight you because you aren’t a woman, and this is a women’s fencing tournament?

USA Fencing has said several times that there hasn’t been research done to confirm that being a male in a female fencing competition has that much of an impact. In 2023, board director Damien Lehfeldt disingenuously asserted, “There is a possibility that transgender women have a physical advantage over their cisgender opponents after transitioning. There is also a possibility they do not. In Fencing, there is no data to support either viewpoint. Giving athletes a sense of belonging and a will to live is more powerful than medals and competitive glory.”

In other words, he’s happy to let female fencers be the guinea pigs and be beaten out of their own sport because, ostensibly, there isn’t definitive science stating that men have a biological advantage. It’s fair until proven unfair, apparently.

At this point, women in this sport cannot avoid competing against a gender-confused male. This implies there are quite a few men at a high level of competition — enough to make trying to avoid them unsustainable.

This is absolutely unacceptable. The next civil rights movement isn’t transgenderism “rights.” It’s ensuring that women — real biological women — get back their sports, locker rooms, bathrooms, and other women-only spaces.