This Female Fencing Athlete Bravely Stood for Fairness in Women's Sports by Taking a Knee

Aimee Herd : Apr 3, 2025
Breaking Christian News, Fox News Digital

"I was like, 'You know what, I’m just going to give it to God. If this person shows up to my event and is on my script, then I would take a knee, and that would be God's will.'" -Stephanie Turner

[Breaking Christian News] According to a Fox News Digital report, 31-year-old Stephanie Turner, a female fencing athlete, had carefully selected each fencing competition, making sure she would not be facing a transgender (biological male) opponent. (Screengrab image: via Fox News Digital)

However, at a bout this past weekend in Maryland, Redmond Sullivan—a man who had previously competed in the men's division, but now identifying as a woman, joined the Wagner women's team in 2024—must have registered after Turner already had, bringing about the matchup.

When Stephanie realized the evening before that she would be competing against Sullivan, she made a difficult decision.

"I was like, 'You know what, I'm just going to give it to God,'" she said. "If this person shows up to my event and is on my script, then I would take a knee, and that would be God's will.'"

The next day she said she saw that she would indeed be facing Sullivan.

"I said, 'OK, let's do it. I'm going to take the knee,'" Stephanie told Fox News Digital, adding, "I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women's objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy]."

On the fencing mat opposite Redmond Sullivan, Stephanie suddenly dropped to one knee and took off her helmet. The referee went up to her and she told him, "I'm sorry, I cannot do this. I am a woman, and this is a man, and this is a women's tournament. And I will not fence this individual."

"Redmond didn't hear me, and he comes up to me, and he thinks that I may be hurt, or he doesn't understand what's happening. He asks, 'Are you OK?' And I said, 'I'm sorry. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you." (Screengrab image: via Fox News Digital)

Watch the moment Turner took a knee Here

Fox News Digital notes that Stephanie Turner was then issued a "black card" penalty, which is given for severe infractions and unsportsmanlike behavior, and she was expelled from the tournament and venue.

Tennis great Martina Navratilova weighed in on the fencing committee's actions, saying, "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!!!" 

As for Stephanie, she seems to realize that things will not be easy for her, at least for a while.

"It will probably, at least for a moment, destroy my life," she admitted in the Fox News report, which pointed out that she had been a lifelong Democrat, until the issue of men competing in women's sports became something her party championed.

That's when she switched to the Republican party and voted for now President Trump, as she supports his stance on keeping biological men out of women's athletic competitions.

"Something needs to be done," says Turner. Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here