US Fencing. Woman Disqualified for Refusing to Fence Against Trans Fencer

At best, it was very very inappropriate that he confronted her directly as he did.

And fucking massive hairy bollocks to him saying 'are you ok' it was obvious she wasn't injured, she took the knee ffs. More manipulation.

These men have - at best - been gaslit into believing they have the absolute right to use women's bodies for their own ends and have the right to determine women's very perceptions about the world.

If you watch the video, his reaction to her taking the knee is something that no woman I know would do - pure male entitlement, he thought he could browbeat her into changing her mind.

Most women wouldn't deliberately cheat and deprive other women of fair competition. Of those that do, when getting confronted with their cheating would be unlikely to directly confront someone who'd called it out.

Of course he knows he's bigger and stronger because he's male so there's no disadvantage to using that male bodied advantage to try and bully a woman into compliance.

I'd recommend everyone watch that video because it shows how very brave Stephanie was in the face of what really is just male supremacism.

I note none of the officials stepped in to stop what very much looked like bullying to me.

Well done Stephanie Turner.

Good for her. Men don't get to decide what women perceive, especially when it's material reality. He's got a male body, and it's not fair if he's competing.

Feeling very depressed by all the news headlines which are ALL as far as I can see 'woman fencer refuses to play trans opponent' NO she refuses to play a male bodied opponent. Presumably she'd be fine to play against a female bodied trans opponent as long as she wasn't doping (i.e taking testosterone). It's not about trans, it's about men.

I thought that was interesting about the glassy-eyed look as well, Shortshrift.

Also that the man’s response was that someone on the board would support him. He has been reassured that the women will not get him out and will be punished if they step out of line.

"As a lifelong Democrat, Turner insists she never opposed LGBTQ people. But the issue of trans inclusion of women's sports has driven her away from supporting the party, and she now identifies as a "new Republican conservative."

"I voted red down the ticket this year," Turner said. "It was like waking up to the lies of the mainstream media… Just to watch so many of my friends have this glassy-eyed look while just defending this policy because their brains can not manage the possibility that their party or their position has been wrong on this, and perhaps this isn't a civil rights movement, and they have been misled."

"Something needs to be done, and there are activists who have embedded themselves in authoritative positions in sports bodies."

He can't control what individual bodies or organisations decide to do, though......and many are rebelling against or actively opposing his edicts.

"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."

Interesting to see that she is using (perhaps Christian) language here in not condemning him personally, but that she is using male pronouns. Very powerful as it makes her stance harder to criticise.

I’ve been thinking recently about how to tackle a situation where I might run into some transactivists (going to a women’s conference) and it seems to me that there is power in capturing unreasonable reactions to demonstrably reasonable behaviour. It’s a great film, though a pity it doesn’t catch what she said.

I recently watched a very sobering video about the difference/advantages between the sexes in historical weapon fighting, in this case swords. The difference just a few cm of extra reach makes is really astonishing. Any random man will have this advantage over almost every woman they compete against.

I understand that, but doing nothing will eventually have far worse consequences.

I think perhaps, that the only way these bodies and rules will change when women learn to stand together. Things have been better for women for a brief generation and we have lost sight of the power of collective action.

It will probably need a woman with enough reach and charisma to persuade others that they cannot all be disqualified without the organisers looking really stupid.

Stephanie has made a start by taking a stand. I hope that she can persuade others to join her.

But then again, it amazes me that not one single woman has had the guts to step forward and support Sandie Peggie. I realise there are quite a lot of women who really can’t afford to lose their job, but there must be some who can. It dismays me that some women are not willing to take any risks at all to preserve all our rights.

I think they know it will be a futile gesture with far reaching consequences. Like that women's school basketball team who refused to play against a team with a male player and the entire school got banned from competing.

I know they shouldn’t have to, but I wish the other young women would stand in solidarity with her and also refuse to take part.

Do they merely accept that they will all compete for second place, and that if another selfish male comes along, third?

Maybe it will take time for them to see.

Here is her interview.

www.foxnews.com/sports/womens-fencer-reveals-why-she-refused-face-transgender-opponent-accepting-punishment-backlash

Her name is Stephanie Turner. Another name to add to the list of women who are doing their best to make female sports safe and fair again.

Interesting clip. Body language says Redmond clearly doing some heavy lifting mansplaining to explain how their very special feelings trump their superior reach and post male puberty strength. So suck it up girlfriend -
or words to that effect.

Sullivan also leveraging the complete lack of male advantage in shotput, I see.

Very brave woman to protest - and particularly to stick it out and make them eject her, rather than just walking out (which isn't exactly easy either, with the academic and financial consequences involved in US college sport, as well as the direct sporting ones).

Well done that woman. However, I wish that women didn’t have to do jeopardise their sporting future.

My understanding is the federal funding that colleges receive for upholding Title IX is affected by the EOs. So if a college doesn’t get federal funding, or doesn’t care about that funding enough to protect women’s sport over the rights of men, then they can ignore it.

What will be relevant is if the organising body at a College level would be liable if they receive Title IX funding. Otherwise, sporting organisations like USA Fencing can continue to do what they want.

Well done that woman! My DD fences she would have no chance against him. How they could disqualify her not him is sickening

Nitter version: https://nitter.poast.org/icons_women/status/1907487751664247154

It is huge, my son fences at school, he's decent has the odd bronze medal but lots of the male fencers can beat him - none of the girls can, even though some of them are regularly winning female competitions. Superior reach and speed, just by virtue of his chromosomes.

WTF? How can that even be............? Oh yeah, same ole, same ole. As you were.

I thought Trump had fixed this bollocks?

The advantage of being male in fencing must be huge.

Another mediocre man stealing medals from women https://fencingtracker.com/p/100286459/Redmond-Sullivan

How can the adults in the room condone this?

Good for her for being courageous & taking action. Shame on US Fencing for bullying her.

Comment taken from that X thread:

The weakest men compete with girls
The weakest minds celebrate it

Well done that woman!

Wow, do you double up as Mystic Meg for the lottery? Bet you can’t tell which one Sullivan is in this group.