Women’s fencing player Stephanie Turner became a household name among sports rights activists.
The viral video of Turner kneeling protesting his trans rivals has sparked more debates about trans people, especially fencing.
“At least it could ruin my life for now,” Turner said to Fox News numbers. “It’s hard for me to do that.”
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Her decision was made by her against competing with biological males.
“This is a serious problem that is happening in all movements and needs to be addressed. There is a difference between men and women,” Turner said. “This is a civil rights movement for women and girls, and I give priority to women and girls’ safety, rights and protection over trans men.”
Her beliefs even overwhelmed her lifelong political loyalty.
Turner, a long-registered Democrat who has been separated from the party due to recent elections, said she is now a “New Republican Conservative Party.”
She switched the issue of trans athletes in women and women’s sports.
“A small group of people took hostages from larger athlete bases to take liberal views on extremism,” Turner said.
How has it been done so far?
She comes from a free background
Fencingist Stephanie Turner kneels in front of American fencing officials. (Provided by the icon)
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Turner now lives in Montgomery County, Maryland’s Dark Blue.
Over the years, she has been involved in a group of close friends that includes other fencing players. It also includes multiple members of the LGBT community.
“They didn’t know that I had this view of trans women in the women’s movement. One of them was one of my true good friends [fencing] club. He is in the LGBT community, and many of my friends are in the LGBT community. And I don’t want them to be mad at me for this. I love them on a personal level.
“I don’t want them to think I hate them somehow. I don’t want to lose them as friends.”
But Turner also feels she can’t have a legitimate discussion with some people on this issue.
“They lie that estrogen can make a man a woman, and it can also make you unable to tell the difference, and that’s just a crazy argument.”
She started fencing in college and gradually avoided her trans competitors
Turner, 31, ventured into a competitive fence at the age of 19 12 years ago. She joined the University of Maryland and has been sticking with it ever since. Later, she was eligible for the U.S. Fence Competition.
“I spent a lot of time and money on this,” Turner said.
Turner’s Officer Fence Tracker Page The finishes of 21 podiums were shown, including the August 18 event at Trick or ReTreat Roc in Edison, New Jersey, including gold medals in women’s foil.
Stephanie Turner (Contributed by Sophie Turner; Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
However, she achieved some significance when she had to understand the official gender qualification policy of the United States during her career.
Official policy allows transgender people to compete in the junior and senior women category after completing a calendar year of testosterone inhibition therapy. Proof of compatible hormone therapy must be provided before competition.
Trans female fencing player scores in 14-time champion world champion
American fences have policy In November 2022, it was announced that when choosing host cities for the national championship, it was announced that it had preferred states without laws that “damaged members of the LGBTQ community” and that there were no states that “damaged laws that harm women’s reproductive health.”
“In the fence, I see it a lot,” Turner said. “I’ve witnessed trans fencing players in Women’s Championships and girls’ championships in different age categories, especially the Y-14 (the youngest age group).
Turner previously avoided trans opponents in the summer of 2013. When Turner saw the athletes being listed as competitors among the summer nationals that year, she decided not to go.
“I never signed up because I knew he would be there,” Turner said. “In the past few years, when I knew the trans fencing players were there, I just didn’t sign up.”
She ended up facing the cross athletes last weekend and decided to do something different
Turner always ensures that he avoids signing up activities after reviewing trans athletes.
But what she couldn’t foresee was that one of them registered after she did so.
Last weekend, it was the first time of the IA Divisional Event, called “Sakura Bloom” at her alma mater, the University of Maryland. Redmond Sullivan Fence Trackerregistered and placed in the same brackets as Turner.
She only learned this at 10:30 p.m. the night before the showdown with Sullivan.
By then, she was considering another way to deal with this situation, given the frequent frequency of trans fusion.
“I want to avoid not registering events in the future, just because trans people are there because every activity I have is probably trans,” Turner said.
“So, I was like, ‘You know what, I’m just going to give it to God. If this guy appears in my event and they’re on my striptease, then I’ll knee it, that’s God’s will.”
But Turner wanted to take a step further, she knew she could “destroy her life” but she did it anyway.
A few minutes before she knelt across from Sullivan with the Avenue, she went to one of her closest friends at the club.
“I said, ‘I’m going to do something, I want you to shoot it. I’m really nervous, if you want, this is your last chance to leave,’ because I don’t know what will happen to the reaction.”
Her friend agreed to film the knee, recording a scene that will be witnessed throughout the entire fencing world.
At the time, Turner was signed to a black card, disqualified from the event, and accompanied her so quickly that she did not say another word to her teammates, trainers or anyone else.
Turner’s kneeling ignited global conversations and even ignited ads
Turner doesn’t want the role. She admits she is a private person without social media channels and they “like anonymity.”
“I hope others will come forward or the board will change its mind,” Turner said.
Nonprofit fence organization Write an open letter In December, members of the U.S. Fence Commission urged national governing bodies to reassess its position on several issues including transgender for the campaign.
“Besides politics, it is a reasonable requirement to form a task force to study this issue of fences more deeply and create a safe space where all women’s voices will be heard without ridicule and abuse,” the letter said.
But nothing was done.
Turner is the latest fighter in the ongoing cultural war on trans athletes in the women’s movement. She conducted a TV interview on Fox News Channel, her story has been introduced to multiple media outlets, and she even appeared in commercials.
Sports activist brand XX-XY Athletics has released new ads, including a clip of Turner’s kneeling.
It would be worth it for her to hold institutions like the U.S. fence and politicians who continue to be in charge.
“It’s a common sense test of whether politicians can lie to comply with a common culture,” Turner said.
“Something needs to be done.”
The U.S. Fence provides statements to Fox News digital numbers to resolve the incident.
“U.S. Fencing enacted our current trans and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy aims to expand opportunities for fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces. The policy is based on the principle that everyone should be based on today’s research and based on today’s research.”
“We respect perspectives from all sides and encourage our members to continue to share with us as things develop. It is crucial for the fenced community to have such conversations, but we want to have respectful conversations in our competitions and in online venues. Whether it is on our tournament or in online spaces. The way to progress is based on evidence of respect.”
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A U.S. fencing spokesman also told Fox News Digital Turner was punished for opposing trans stances, but only for refusing fences.
“In the case of Stephanie Turner, her disqualification has nothing to do with any personal statement, but is just a direct result of her decision to refuse a qualified opponent in the fence, which is clearly prohibited by the FIE rules,” the spokesperson said.
“Under the technical rules of the FIE (International Fencing Federation), especially Article T.113, fencers shall not refuse another fencer for any reason to enter the fencer. According to these rules, disqualification and corresponding sanctions are refused. The policy exists to maintain fair competition standards and maintain the integration of the sport.”
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