A Stand for Women: The Brave Fencer Who Took a Knee

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On March 30, 2025, at the Cherry Blossom D1A/Veteran Regional Open Circuit at the University of Maryland, a female fencer made a powerful statement. Stephanie Turner, a competitor from the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia, was set to face Redmond Sullivan* in the Division 1A Women’s Foil event.

Instead of fencing, Turner took a knee, removed her mask, and refused to compete, stating she would not fence against a man. Her protest led to immediate consequences: she was disqualified, issued a black card for unsporting conduct, and escorted from the venue. For Turner and her supporters, however, this act was a bold defense of women’s sports.

“It will probably, at least for a moment, destroy my life,” she said.

The Incident: A Deliberate Protest

Turner’s decision was premeditated. She had already competed in several bouts that day but drew the line when matched against Sullivan. “I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there I said, ‘OK, let’s do it. I’m going to take the knee,’” she told Fox News Digital. Her action was captured on video, amplifying its impact beyond the tournament. While specific details of any conversation between Turner and Sullivan remain unreported, her stance was clear: she viewed Sullivan, a biological male with gender dysphoria who identifies as a woman, as an unfair competitor in the women’s division. She accepted the black card, prioritizing her principles over continuing in the event.

The Background: Redmond Sullivan and USA Fencing’s Policy

Redmond Sullivan has emerged as a successful figure in women’s fencing. Previously a member of Wagner College’s men’s fencing team, Sullivan now competes in the women’s category under USA Fencing’s 2023 transgender and non-binary athlete policy. This policy allows athletes to participate in the division matching their gender identity, provided they meet certain eligibility criteria, such as hormone regulations. Sullivan’s recent achievements include winning the Junior Women’s Foil event at the Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers in December 2024, earning an E24 rating. His presence in women’s fencing has sparked debate, with critics arguing that biological males, even after transitioning, may retain physical advantages like greater reach or strength—edges that can matter in a precision sport like fencing.

The Bigger Picture: Women’s Sports at a Crossroads

Turner’s protest reflects a broader frustration among female athletes who feel their voices are being drowned out. USA Fencing responded by reaffirming its commitment to its transgender policy, stating, “We understand that the conversation on equityPertaining to transgender participation in sport is evolving… USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion.” For Turner and her allies, this approach sacrifices fairness for the sake of inclusivity. They point to scientific studies suggesting that biological males, even after hormone therapy, may maintain advantages in muscle mass and bone density—factors that could tilt the playing field. Yet, when women like Turner object, they face penalties rather than dialogue. Her black card wasn’t for breaking rules of play but for challenging the status quo.

Tennis icon Martina Navratilova weighed in on X, decrying the incident: “This is what happens when female athletes protest! Anyone here still thinks this is fair??? I am fuming… and shame on @USAFencing.” Her outrage underscores a growing sentiment: women’s sports, created to provide females an equal stage, are being reshaped in ways that some see as unjust.

A Hero for Women

Stephanie Turner’s knee wasn’t a gesture of defeat—it was a stand for women. She gave up her chance to compete that day to spotlight a reality many female athletes face: the erosion of a space meant to celebrate their strength and skill. Her protest wasn’t against Sullivan’s identity but against a system that, in her view, forces women to compete on unequal terms against biological males with dysphoria. In a world quick to silence dissent with disqualifications and black cards, Turner’s courage resonates as a call to protect the integrity of women’s sports—for her, and for every woman who steps onto the strip.

* Redmond Sullivan has participated in sports beyond fencing. Reports indicate that Sullivan competed in girls’ track and field events during high school at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut. Specifically, there are mentions of Sullivan being involved in shot put and discus, though detailed records of wins or participation are not fully documented in the available sources. This history adds context to Sullivan’s athletic background before transitioning to compete in women’s fencing at Wagner College, where he previously fenced on the men’s team before switching to the women’s team in 2024. His participation in multiple sports has fueled discussions about fairness and eligibility in women’s athletics, as seen in the recent fencing controversy with Stephanie Turner.

There is no precise public date for when Redmond Sullivan transitioned, as personal details about his gender transition—such as the exact timing of his identification as a woman or the start of any medical or social transition—are not explicitly documented in available sources. However, we can infer a general timeline based on his athletic participation history.

Sullivan competed in girls’ track and field events (shot put and discus) during high school at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut, which suggests he was already identifying and competing as female during those years, likely prior to 2020 when he would have graduated high school. He then enrolled at Wagner College and initially competed on the men’s fencing team, indicating that at some point during or after high school, he may have been competing as male or had not yet fully transitioned in the context of collegiate sports. By 2024, Sullivan was competing on Wagner College’s women’s fencing team, aligning with USA Fencing’s transgender policy, which allows athletes to compete in the category matching their gender identity if eligibility criteria (like hormone levels) are met.

The shift from the men’s to the women’s fencing team at Wagner College in 2024 is the clearest marker of his transition in the public athletic sphere, though it’s unclear whether this reflects a recent gender identity change, a delay in applying the transition to collegiate sports, or simply compliance with updated policies. Without Sullivan’s personal statements or medical records—which are private—the exact date of his transition remains unspecified. His competitive history suggests a fluid or evolving journey, with participation as a female in high school track and field, a stint as a male fencer in college, and a return to women’s competition by 2024.