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After Kneeling Incident, Wagner College Says Transgender Fencer No Longer On Women’s Team
A U.S. college has confirmed that a transgender fencer involved in a recent kneeling controversy is no longer part of the women’s fencing team.
Redmond Sullivan made headlines over an incident at a recent tournament that ended with a female fencer being disqualified.
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Redmond Sullivan, a transgender fencer, is no longer a member of Wagner College’s women’s team
Image credits: WagnerCollege
The fencer, who was at the center of the controversy at the USA Fencing tournament in Maryland, became a hot topic on social media.
Highlights
- Transgender fencer Redmond Sullivan is no longer part of Wagner College's women's fencing team following recent NCAA policy changes.
- The news comes after a controversy where a female opponent refused to compete against Sullivan at a fencing tournament, citing gender identity issues.
- Following a presidential order, the NCAA's new policy limits women’s sports participation to those assigned female at birth
Sullivan participated in the Cherry Blossom Open last week as part of Wagner College’s women’s team, during which a female opponent refused to compete against her due to her identity as a transgender woman.
Sources said Sullivan, who was assigned male at birth and now uses she/her pronouns, was on Wagner College’s men’s team during the 2023-24 season before joining the women’s team in November 2024.
The announcement comes after the NCAA changed its policy on competition limitations based on gender
Image credits: Wagner Athletics
The news comes shortly after the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) changed its participation policy on February 2, which limits competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth.
The NCAA made its announcement after the U.S. Department of Education said it would launch investigations into several colleges over “apparent Title IX violations” related to transgender women playing women’s sports.
A Wagner College spokesperson said they are in “full compliance with the NCAA”
Image credits: FOX News
When asked why Sullivan will no longer compete on the women’s fencing team, Wagner College Spokesperson Jim Chiavelli said, “We are in full compliance with NCAA and NEC rules and regulations. The fencer is not a member of our fencing team.”
Chiavelli added that Sullivan is not doing interviews with the press for the time being.
In addition to the announcement, it appears that Wagner College’s website also removed information that mentioned Sullivan and the tournaments she had competed in.
Whether Sullivan was removed from the team or left voluntarily is unclear
Image credits: icons_women
According to the Department of Education, Title IX protects people from discrimination based on s*x in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.
The policy change follows a presidential executive order aimed at preventing transgender individuals from taking part in women’s sports.
Sullivan’s departure from the college team is likely tied to the new policy and due to threats of withdrawn federal funding, though the college has not confirmed this.
It’s unclear whether Sullivan left the team voluntarily or was removed.
In a previous tournament, Sullivan made headlines when her opponent refused to compete against her over her identity
Image credits: icons_women
🤺🚨Historic Protest: Female Fencer Takes a Knee in Bout Against Male Opponent, Faces Immediate Disqualification
After receiving a black card for refusing to compete against a man, Redmond Sullivan’s female opponent was expelled from the @USAFencing event at the Univ. of… pic.twitter.com/IloSnrb2Iu
— ICONS (@icons_women) April 2, 2025
Image credits: icons_women
At the Maryland fencing competition last month, Sullivan’s opponent, Stephanie Turner, took a knee and refused to compete against her opponent, telling her, “I am sorry. I have a lot of love and respect for you, but I will not fence you.”
As a result of her refusal, Turner was issued a black card, expelling her from the competition.
“When I took the knee, I looked at the ref and I said, ‘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,’” Turner said in an interview with Fox News.
Sullivan was told: “I have a lot of love and respect for you, but I will not fence you”
Image credits: Reduxx
Following her stance at the Maryland tournament, Turner was recognized by the controversial anti-trans brand XX-XY Athletics, which calls itself “the only athletic brand that stands up for women’s sports.”
The brand, led by its founder Jennifer Sey, awarded the fencer $5,000, a Courage Wins Award, and admittance into a leadership program.
Stephanie Turner was disqualified from the tournament after refusing to compete against Sullivan
Image credits: icons_women
USA Fencing released a statement saying that Turner’s disqualification was “not related to any personal statement,” but instead “the direct result of her decision to decline to fence an eligible opponent, which the FIE [International Fencing Federation] rules clearly prohibit.”
After her disqualification, Turner went on social media to share her story, which quickly went viral.
Turner received $5,000 for her stance against Sullivan from XX-XY Athletics, led by founder Jennifer Sey (pictured below)
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Flickr
Some online users disagreed with Turner, saying fencing is not a gender-specific sport.
One user asked, “Why does it matter? They use swords, not hand-to-hand.”
Another praised USA Fencing, saying, “Good. She should’ve fought her opponent and gave herself a chance to win. If she lost, then she could contest the loss. You can’t just refuse because you don’t like your opponent.”
Image credits: JenniferSey
A third called Turner a bigot, saying, “Sounds like she got what she asked for. Fencing is not a sport that should be gender specific. This woman was clearly just a bigot and afraid of losing. Like refusing to play Chess with a trans person. There was zero advantage just bigotry at play here.”
Another user with fencing experience added, “As someone who has actually fenced, gender does not matter here. My fencing partners were always male, and I never felt they had an advantage. Even if they were larger.”
After the incident, Texas attorney Paxton initiated an investigation into USA Fencing
Image credits: FOX News
Following the incident, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated an investigation into USA Fencing over Turner’s disqualification, issuing a “Civil Investigative Demand” over potential violations of Texas law, even though the event was held in Maryland.
Paxton defended Turner, saying she had “bravely” taken a knee “instead of competing against a biological male.”
Online users reacted to Wagner College’s announcement
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What do you think ?
Tyranamar Seuss 8 months ago
People who had the advantage of developing as male for years do not suddenly lose that arm length, or broad shoulders, or even muscle tone when they go on hormones. It's unfair for them to compete with women who have been developing as female their whole lives. I applaud her taking the knee. That was an unfair situation they put her in, competing with someone who had the advantage of male development of skeletal and muscular structure.
Ivo H 7 months ago
Exactly! I have highest respect for any transgender people out there (one of them used to be my close friend). But they should NOT be allowed compete in competetive sport events. It does not matter who have an advantage (usualy males), it's NOT fair, it just works as a rage-inducing catalyst and takes the little good the sports still have today from it.
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Pelle Lövet 8 months ago
I find it strange that it’s always transgender men who wants to compete against women, never transgender women that wants to compete against men…
Renato 8 months ago
Always the mediocre mentally ill men try to get money and medals from women.
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Apatheist Account2 8 months ago (edited)
Pretty much any comment on this is going to get downvoted. Perhaps you shouldn't allow comments when it's clearly such a divisive issue. For those saying s3x doesn't matter in fencing: if that's the case, why are there separate divisions? There is no separation in equestrian events, which suggests no male advantage, but the fencing authorities thought there should be. That being the case, they have to decide who is eligible. Whether politicians should be deciding that (or anything else, given current form) is of course a very different issue. Those who say all sports should be neutral, well - even when the east Europeans were doping themselves to the eyeballs, none of the women would ever have appeared in an Olympic final - is that really fair, or indeed any fairer than asking Paralympians to compete against able bodied?
Natalie Bohrteller 8 months ago
I like the comparison of Paralympians vs able-bodied. And I thought the same; if having separate divisions wouldn't matter, why have them in the first place? Darts comes to mind as another example...
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Dre Mosley 8 months ago
This isn't about who has a physical advantage, this is women taking a stand against bio men competing in their spaces.
Pittsburgh rare 8 months ago
To the person asking how strenuous can be fencing...much. Enough to have separate categories. It's a super complete physical exercise.
TotallyNOTAFox 8 months ago
I don't know enough about fencing to say if there is a gender advantage, but if somebody thought that separated groupings are necessary then I believe that. And of course it causes outrage, but morales have to come after scientific facts - men are physically stronger than women with comparable training efforts for both, that's biology and not just a construct to oppress somebody. (In general, not only for this case)
🇺🇦 🇵🇸 TribbleThinking 7 months ago (edited)
I've tried fencing, just a taster. It's awesome. And the level of energy burst required for one match is the equivalent of a very fast sprint. It's mental AND physical, chess WHILE sprinting and dancing. In a tournament, it would be the same, but repeated multiple times over the day. I vote for LGBTQ rights, and am open to being wrong, but I am very hard pressed to see how the residual gender advantages don't come into play.
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London Paris 7 months ago
I'm as liberal and inclusive as I can be BUT biological as the primary determinant. I get the argument "this is not about strength, it's skill" but it's either all or none, no exceptions. I want to see FEMALE athletes compete against female athletes and the same for men. Biology first, culture last.
Gabby M 8 months ago
I didn't read through the posts so pardon if I repeat but WHY can't we just create a Trans category?
Sera 8 months ago
Because trans people make up less than 1% of the population. There aren’t enough trans players to make a single team in most places, let alone a whole league.
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tori Ohno 8 months ago
If the sport has clear cut male/female categories, then I believe transgender women should not be in women's sports. Men are bigger and stronger, therefore the separation. She may call herself "she", but that's still a male body. Stop separating the teams into male/female if it bothers you that transgender women can't compete. But, I think fencing is different. It shouldn't be separated into two teams.
Jacob B 7 months ago
People saying gender doesn't matter... I'm an archer, and even here we have gender divisions for a reason. Because archery is not just accuracy. It requires strength, a reasonable lot actually. The higher the poundage of the bow you can comfortably draw, the better/faster the arrow cuts through wind. Being able to hold in full draw and aim longer also matters. So yeah, divisions are there for a reason. And I can easly imagine that even more so in fencing. And don't get me wrong. I have nothing against transgender people. But being supportive doesn't mean everything goes. It's not a binary system of 1s and 0s. Where you either accept everything or you are against everything. Transgender women in women sports is one of such examples. I just don't agree with it. If you were born a man you should not participate in sports with women. If you're short, you're not going to play center in basketball either. It is what it is. Those were the cards that you have been dealt.
Royal Stray 7 months ago
Having fenced a bit previously, and only in mixed groups I wouldn't mind if it was a mixed sport. It is however currently not a mixed sport, and so this doesn't really sit right with me. If we want it to be fair for everyone or whatever then have one women's, one men's and one mixed
Tony Phatt 8 months ago
It's the women's division. Men can't become women, so he shouldn't be in it. This is not difficult to understand.
Lee451 Henderson 7 months ago
One commentor said of the transgender: "Strength and size have ZERO to do with fencing". Then why did the transgender not fence on the MEN'S team?
Lee451 Henderson 7 months ago
One critic said that "size and strength have ZERO to do with fencing". Why isn't the transgender fencing on the MEN'S team?
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 7 months ago
Really don't understand why we can't just make trans people their own leagues and put all this arguing to bed
Inservio Smurf 7 months ago
82% pro-biology and only 14% pro-narcissism. Knew I liked you guys for a reason.
SmartGCPerson 8 months ago
Stephanie Turner didn't refuse to compete against Sullivan because of "identity." She refused because he's a *man*. Language matters, so please use correct terminology.
Shane S 8 months ago
There are half a million athletes in the NCAA. The president of the organization is only aware of around 10 trans athletes. This isn’t the ‘big problem’ it’s being made out to be. They didn’t have any luck with the bathroom bills so they are trying a different angle to give the populace a permission structure to hate on trans people. There are 50x more cases of the easily preventable virus Measles in Texas than there are trans athletes in the whole of the NCAA. So stupid.
UKGrandad 8 months ago
You're missing the point. It isn't about numbers, it's about single-séx sport. One male - regardless of gender identity - in women's sport is one too many.
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Olga Zhuravskaya 8 months ago
If the gender doesn't matter in fencing then transgender girls should go fence with BOYS
Sera 8 months ago
They do. Fencers regularly compete against opposite-séx opponents without issue.
Load More Replies... Anony Mouse 8 months ago
She’s all about love and respect, then goes on to misgender her opponent over and over, while publicly accepting praise and prize money for it. I have conflicting feelings about the topic, but I’m not conflicted at all about this little t**t.
Renato 8 months ago
Calling a man a man is not "misgender". Grow a pair of balls
Load More Replies... Sneezy Phil 7 months ago
So Turner should be able to compete now, and her disqualification annulled since her opponent was not an eligible competitor?
Blondie23 7 months ago
Regardless of what you want to believe I don't see women who have decided to live as men trying to get into men's sports. Because they wouldn't be able to compete. These males that become women later in life have a biological advantage and that makes it an uneven playing field. It's as simple as that. Instead of being mad that transgender women can't compete in women's sports maybe we should all be saying that a transgender league needs to be started...... but the reason that won't happen is because there are not enough transgender people to fill a league. Think about that too.
UKGrandad 7 months ago
There is nothing stopping transgender people from competing in the category that matches their séx. In fact, many female-identifying men did compete in the men's category prior to their transitioning. There is, however, a common thread that links such athletes; they weren't successful in the men's competitions - most were at best average - but on switching to the female category they suddenly found themselves high in the rankings. This is partly why they don't want separate trans categories: they lose the advantages that competing against women gives them if they have to start competing on a level playing field with other female-identifying males. They may claim that they only want to be able to play the sports they love, but if that were the case then they wouldn't object to trans categories, or they'd be happy to continue playing in the men's games.
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VikingAbroad 7 months ago
I do Japanese fencing, as one of only a few female atlethes in this, I have always fenced against males. It has nothing to do with arm length or strength, and all to do with techniques and training. In some sports I agree, born males have a privilege against females, but not in fencing.
FreeTheUnicorn 8 months ago
I don't know any female fencers who haven't practiced or competed against men. Taking the knee wasn't about safety or principles, it's about launching her career as a Fox pundit by pearl clutching. Disgraceful.
Apatheist Account2 8 months ago (edited)
Top level women will practice against men - but practice isn't necessarily the same as competing. If you're not a female sportsperson, I don't think it's for you to dictate what others should do.
Load More Replies... Breadcrumb. 7 months ago
Women " we don't want to be r***d, assaulted, or m******d." Them "nah we can't do that, but we can stop Trans people from playing in your sports" I love how this is the one time people care about womens sports and this is the hill they want to die on. Get a life.
UKGrandad 7 months ago (edited)
I have three daughters, now in their thirties, who have all been involved in sports to varying degrees. Two of them no longer compete but were both members of the county Amateur Athletic Association until their mid twenties. The third played hockey then switched to rugby, and still plays in the county women's league. I have always cared about women's sports.
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WonderWoman 7 months ago
Hate what America has become under the bigoted republicans and the felon in charge. Hate and division is what drives them and they are teaching that to yet another generation of idiots.
maswartz 7 months ago
All that needs to be said about this is she knew who her opponent was the day before and could have forfeited then but chose to make this a public spectacle
UKGrandad 7 months ago (edited)
Yes, she publicly forfeited the match on a matter of principle, and by doing so was standing up for the rights of women to compete against women. That's what principled people do when their rights are being eroded.
Load More Replies... Christos Arvanitis 7 months ago
I'm always saddened by the anti-trans sentiment that surfaces in any discussion about transgender people on this site. So much hate. I expect downvotes for simply saying this...
UKGrandad 7 months ago (edited)
Disagreeing with an ideology is not hate. Facts are objective and in issues such as this are more important than subjective feelings.
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Miaow Minx 8 months ago
You're right, she refused to compete because Sullivan is male — that means it's not due to prejudice against Sullivan's transgender identity.
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Crikey! (ho/hum) 8 months ago (edited)
In other news, outrage as Shiva is disqualified from the Interfaith Tennis Tour. A spokesperson said; 'The Hindu God of destruction and transformation was saddened that the tennis community did not share his vision of inclusivity for the future.' The deity went on to claim that humanity is prejudiced against four-armed superhuman deities when it comes to sport and they should jolly well be ashamed of themselves. The International Tennis Federation said that it was outside their jurisdiction. God has so far remained silent although some lightning was witnessed last night off the Bay of Biscay. An appeal is underway. EDIT: Wow! Three downvotes for a bit of lighthearted satire. Apologies. What I really think is that being trapped in the wrong body must be a difficult and horrible existence and so I wholeheartedly support those people even though I have never met one. What I absolutely do not support is the small minority of trans people who insert themselves into women's sport presumably because they like gold medals or the attention they receive, or both. This is my personal view, and I am entitled to it. I'm not making anyone go along with me and you will agree or disagree, either is fine, we can still be friends. If it's gold that this person wants, then I would be more supportive of them robbing a jewellers than of them preventing a woman from taking part and/or winning a medal.
Marshall 8 months ago
All this animus bc people want fairness in sports? We have or can easily set up open categories which resolves the issues you espouse and women's sports is just as worthy of protection as men's sports. Sportsmen don't appear to have the same issues possibly that's due to women's and men's biology/anatomy regardless of their identity or T levels!
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UKGrandad 8 months ago
Why is it funny that she's praised for defending the principle that women's sport is for women?
Load More Replies... UKGrandad 8 months ago
You are confusing séx with gender identity. There is no third séx.
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Apatheist Account2 8 months ago
If you think that's the issue, you don't appear to have done much sport. It's about fair and safe competition.
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Tyranamar Seuss 8 months ago
People who had the advantage of developing as male for years do not suddenly lose that arm length, or broad shoulders, or even muscle tone when they go on hormones. It's unfair for them to compete with women who have been developing as female their whole lives. I applaud her taking the knee. That was an unfair situation they put her in, competing with someone who had the advantage of male development of skeletal and muscular structure.
Ivo H 7 months ago
Exactly! I have highest respect for any transgender people out there (one of them used to be my close friend). But they should NOT be allowed compete in competetive sport events. It does not matter who have an advantage (usualy males), it's NOT fair, it just works as a rage-inducing catalyst and takes the little good the sports still have today from it.
Load More Replies... Pelle Lövet 8 months ago
I find it strange that it’s always transgender men who wants to compete against women, never transgender women that wants to compete against men…
Renato 8 months ago
Always the mediocre mentally ill men try to get money and medals from women.
Load More Replies... Apatheist Account2 8 months ago (edited)
Pretty much any comment on this is going to get downvoted. Perhaps you shouldn't allow comments when it's clearly such a divisive issue. For those saying s3x doesn't matter in fencing: if that's the case, why are there separate divisions? There is no separation in equestrian events, which suggests no male advantage, but the fencing authorities thought there should be. That being the case, they have to decide who is eligible. Whether politicians should be deciding that (or anything else, given current form) is of course a very different issue. Those who say all sports should be neutral, well - even when the east Europeans were doping themselves to the eyeballs, none of the women would ever have appeared in an Olympic final - is that really fair, or indeed any fairer than asking Paralympians to compete against able bodied?
Natalie Bohrteller 8 months ago
I like the comparison of Paralympians vs able-bodied. And I thought the same; if having separate divisions wouldn't matter, why have them in the first place? Darts comes to mind as another example...
Load More Replies... Dre Mosley 8 months ago
This isn't about who has a physical advantage, this is women taking a stand against bio men competing in their spaces.
Pittsburgh rare 8 months ago
To the person asking how strenuous can be fencing...much. Enough to have separate categories. It's a super complete physical exercise.
TotallyNOTAFox 8 months ago
I don't know enough about fencing to say if there is a gender advantage, but if somebody thought that separated groupings are necessary then I believe that. And of course it causes outrage, but morales have to come after scientific facts - men are physically stronger than women with comparable training efforts for both, that's biology and not just a construct to oppress somebody. (In general, not only for this case)
🇺🇦 🇵🇸 TribbleThinking 7 months ago (edited)
I've tried fencing, just a taster. It's awesome. And the level of energy burst required for one match is the equivalent of a very fast sprint. It's mental AND physical, chess WHILE sprinting and dancing. In a tournament, it would be the same, but repeated multiple times over the day. I vote for LGBTQ rights, and am open to being wrong, but I am very hard pressed to see how the residual gender advantages don't come into play.
Load More Replies... London Paris 7 months ago
I'm as liberal and inclusive as I can be BUT biological as the primary determinant. I get the argument "this is not about strength, it's skill" but it's either all or none, no exceptions. I want to see FEMALE athletes compete against female athletes and the same for men. Biology first, culture last.
Gabby M 8 months ago
I didn't read through the posts so pardon if I repeat but WHY can't we just create a Trans category?
Sera 8 months ago
Because trans people make up less than 1% of the population. There aren’t enough trans players to make a single team in most places, let alone a whole league.
Load More Replies... tori Ohno 8 months ago
If the sport has clear cut male/female categories, then I believe transgender women should not be in women's sports. Men are bigger and stronger, therefore the separation. She may call herself "she", but that's still a male body. Stop separating the teams into male/female if it bothers you that transgender women can't compete. But, I think fencing is different. It shouldn't be separated into two teams.
Jacob B 7 months ago
People saying gender doesn't matter... I'm an archer, and even here we have gender divisions for a reason. Because archery is not just accuracy. It requires strength, a reasonable lot actually. The higher the poundage of the bow you can comfortably draw, the better/faster the arrow cuts through wind. Being able to hold in full draw and aim longer also matters. So yeah, divisions are there for a reason. And I can easly imagine that even more so in fencing. And don't get me wrong. I have nothing against transgender people. But being supportive doesn't mean everything goes. It's not a binary system of 1s and 0s. Where you either accept everything or you are against everything. Transgender women in women sports is one of such examples. I just don't agree with it. If you were born a man you should not participate in sports with women. If you're short, you're not going to play center in basketball either. It is what it is. Those were the cards that you have been dealt.
Royal Stray 7 months ago
Having fenced a bit previously, and only in mixed groups I wouldn't mind if it was a mixed sport. It is however currently not a mixed sport, and so this doesn't really sit right with me. If we want it to be fair for everyone or whatever then have one women's, one men's and one mixed
Tony Phatt 8 months ago
It's the women's division. Men can't become women, so he shouldn't be in it. This is not difficult to understand.
Lee451 Henderson 7 months ago
One commentor said of the transgender: "Strength and size have ZERO to do with fencing". Then why did the transgender not fence on the MEN'S team?
Lee451 Henderson 7 months ago
One critic said that "size and strength have ZERO to do with fencing". Why isn't the transgender fencing on the MEN'S team?
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 7 months ago
Really don't understand why we can't just make trans people their own leagues and put all this arguing to bed
Inservio Smurf 7 months ago
82% pro-biology and only 14% pro-narcissism. Knew I liked you guys for a reason.
SmartGCPerson 8 months ago
Stephanie Turner didn't refuse to compete against Sullivan because of "identity." She refused because he's a *man*. Language matters, so please use correct terminology.
Shane S 8 months ago
There are half a million athletes in the NCAA. The president of the organization is only aware of around 10 trans athletes. This isn’t the ‘big problem’ it’s being made out to be. They didn’t have any luck with the bathroom bills so they are trying a different angle to give the populace a permission structure to hate on trans people. There are 50x more cases of the easily preventable virus Measles in Texas than there are trans athletes in the whole of the NCAA. So stupid.
UKGrandad 8 months ago
You're missing the point. It isn't about numbers, it's about single-séx sport. One male - regardless of gender identity - in women's sport is one too many.
Load More Replies... Olga Zhuravskaya 8 months ago
If the gender doesn't matter in fencing then transgender girls should go fence with BOYS
Sera 8 months ago
They do. Fencers regularly compete against opposite-séx opponents without issue.
Load More Replies... Anony Mouse 8 months ago
She’s all about love and respect, then goes on to misgender her opponent over and over, while publicly accepting praise and prize money for it. I have conflicting feelings about the topic, but I’m not conflicted at all about this little t**t.
Renato 8 months ago
Calling a man a man is not "misgender". Grow a pair of balls
Load More Replies... Sneezy Phil 7 months ago
So Turner should be able to compete now, and her disqualification annulled since her opponent was not an eligible competitor?
Blondie23 7 months ago
Regardless of what you want to believe I don't see women who have decided to live as men trying to get into men's sports. Because they wouldn't be able to compete. These males that become women later in life have a biological advantage and that makes it an uneven playing field. It's as simple as that. Instead of being mad that transgender women can't compete in women's sports maybe we should all be saying that a transgender league needs to be started...... but the reason that won't happen is because there are not enough transgender people to fill a league. Think about that too.
UKGrandad 7 months ago
There is nothing stopping transgender people from competing in the category that matches their séx. In fact, many female-identifying men did compete in the men's category prior to their transitioning. There is, however, a common thread that links such athletes; they weren't successful in the men's competitions - most were at best average - but on switching to the female category they suddenly found themselves high in the rankings. This is partly why they don't want separate trans categories: they lose the advantages that competing against women gives them if they have to start competing on a level playing field with other female-identifying males. They may claim that they only want to be able to play the sports they love, but if that were the case then they wouldn't object to trans categories, or they'd be happy to continue playing in the men's games.
Load More Replies... VikingAbroad 7 months ago
I do Japanese fencing, as one of only a few female atlethes in this, I have always fenced against males. It has nothing to do with arm length or strength, and all to do with techniques and training. In some sports I agree, born males have a privilege against females, but not in fencing.
FreeTheUnicorn 8 months ago
I don't know any female fencers who haven't practiced or competed against men. Taking the knee wasn't about safety or principles, it's about launching her career as a Fox pundit by pearl clutching. Disgraceful.
Apatheist Account2 8 months ago (edited)
Top level women will practice against men - but practice isn't necessarily the same as competing. If you're not a female sportsperson, I don't think it's for you to dictate what others should do.
Load More Replies... Breadcrumb. 7 months ago
Women " we don't want to be r***d, assaulted, or m******d." Them "nah we can't do that, but we can stop Trans people from playing in your sports" I love how this is the one time people care about womens sports and this is the hill they want to die on. Get a life.
UKGrandad 7 months ago (edited)
I have three daughters, now in their thirties, who have all been involved in sports to varying degrees. Two of them no longer compete but were both members of the county Amateur Athletic Association until their mid twenties. The third played hockey then switched to rugby, and still plays in the county women's league. I have always cared about women's sports.
Load More Replies... WonderWoman 7 months ago
Hate what America has become under the bigoted republicans and the felon in charge. Hate and division is what drives them and they are teaching that to yet another generation of idiots.
maswartz 7 months ago
All that needs to be said about this is she knew who her opponent was the day before and could have forfeited then but chose to make this a public spectacle
UKGrandad 7 months ago (edited)
Yes, she publicly forfeited the match on a matter of principle, and by doing so was standing up for the rights of women to compete against women. That's what principled people do when their rights are being eroded.
Load More Replies... Christos Arvanitis 7 months ago
I'm always saddened by the anti-trans sentiment that surfaces in any discussion about transgender people on this site. So much hate. I expect downvotes for simply saying this...
UKGrandad 7 months ago (edited)
Disagreeing with an ideology is not hate. Facts are objective and in issues such as this are more important than subjective feelings.
Load More Replies... Miaow Minx 8 months ago
You're right, she refused to compete because Sullivan is male — that means it's not due to prejudice against Sullivan's transgender identity.
Load More Replies... Crikey! (ho/hum) 8 months ago (edited)
In other news, outrage as Shiva is disqualified from the Interfaith Tennis Tour. A spokesperson said; 'The Hindu God of destruction and transformation was saddened that the tennis community did not share his vision of inclusivity for the future.' The deity went on to claim that humanity is prejudiced against four-armed superhuman deities when it comes to sport and they should jolly well be ashamed of themselves. The International Tennis Federation said that it was outside their jurisdiction. God has so far remained silent although some lightning was witnessed last night off the Bay of Biscay. An appeal is underway. EDIT: Wow! Three downvotes for a bit of lighthearted satire. Apologies. What I really think is that being trapped in the wrong body must be a difficult and horrible existence and so I wholeheartedly support those people even though I have never met one. What I absolutely do not support is the small minority of trans people who insert themselves into women's sport presumably because they like gold medals or the attention they receive, or both. This is my personal view, and I am entitled to it. I'm not making anyone go along with me and you will agree or disagree, either is fine, we can still be friends. If it's gold that this person wants, then I would be more supportive of them robbing a jewellers than of them preventing a woman from taking part and/or winning a medal.
Marshall 8 months ago
All this animus bc people want fairness in sports? We have or can easily set up open categories which resolves the issues you espouse and women's sports is just as worthy of protection as men's sports. Sportsmen don't appear to have the same issues possibly that's due to women's and men's biology/anatomy regardless of their identity or T levels!
Load More Replies... UKGrandad 8 months ago
Why is it funny that she's praised for defending the principle that women's sport is for women?
Load More Replies... UKGrandad 8 months ago
You are confusing séx with gender identity. There is no third séx.
Load More Replies... Apatheist Account2 8 months ago
If you think that's the issue, you don't appear to have done much sport. It's about fair and safe competition.
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