Fencer Stephanie Turner stated that a transgender opponent's past receipt of a women's athletic scholarship validates her decision to protest at a 2025 USA Fencing tournament. Turner was disqualified and later placed on probation after refusing to compete against Redmond Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open in March 2025. Sullivan, who previously competed on Wagner College's men's fencing team, later moved to the women's team and received a $5,000 per semester athletic scholarship.
Sullivan reportedly lost the scholarship after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at restricting transgender women's participation in women's sports and following a policy change by the NCAA. The CT Mirror reported on Sullivan's story, framing it as one of loss and adjustment. Turner, however, interpreted the scholarship detail as evidence of transgender athletes taking opportunities and resources from cisgender women.
"It really highlights the obscenity of trans activist claims that ‘transwomen’ just want to be included when in fact they’re earning coveted positions on college sports teams, scholarship money, and awards off the backs of deserving women," Turner told OutKick.
Turner's protest, where she knelt rather than fence Sullivan, became a widely publicized incident in the national discussion surrounding transgender athletes in women's sports. She testified before Congress in May 2025, describing her protest as a response to years of frustration with USA Fencing's policies.
Since the incident, the landscape of transgender participation in sports has shifted. USA Fencing revised its policy to require domestic competitors to participate according to their biological sex, aligning with guidance from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. The NCAA also altered its policy following Trump's executive order, restricting women's competition to biological females.
Last week, the Supreme Court upheld bans on transgender athletes in women's sports in a 6-3 ruling on challenges to laws in Idaho and West Virginia. Turner expressed relief at the ruling but emphasized that the advocacy for state-level legislation to specifically define sports categories by biological sex is ongoing.
According to CT Mirror, Sullivan has since transferred to UConn, is majoring in history and secondary education, and participates in mixed-gender fencing events. Sullivan indicated that fencing is no longer the primary focus of his athletic pursuits.
The revelation about the scholarship has added another layer to Turner's argument, shifting the focus beyond mere inclusion to encompass competitive opportunities, awards, and financial aid in collegiate athletics. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has previously stated the Trump administration's commitment to protecting women's rights under Title IX and has voiced concerns about fairness and lost opportunities for female athletes.