The Hypocrisy of Sports Competition & Transgender Athletes

Competitors from amateur to professional athletics and other arenas have refused to compete against a transgender opponent. Swimming, disc golfing, billiards, darts, and even in chess. Yes, Chess.

The newest entry into this hypocrisy is the field of fencing. Last month at the University Maryland at the USA Fencing regional tournament, fencer Stephanie Turner made the decision to remove her mask and ‘take a knee’ and refuse to compete against Redmond Sullivan, a transgender woman.

‘USA Fencing's current transgender and non-binary athlete policy was enacted in 2023 and allows athletes to participate in sanctioned events "in a manner consistent with their gender identity/ expression, regardless of the gender associated with the sex they were assigned at birth."’ - USA Fencing - ABC News “…the decision to disqualify Turner from the tournament was "not related to any personal statement" but because she refused to fence an "eligible opponent."

Turner is quoted saying, "I'm sorry, but I will not fence you. You're a man, and I'm a woman, and this is a women's tournament. I have much love and respect for you, but I will not fence you." - Philadelphia fencer receives award and huge prize for refusing to participate with transgender opponent - US News - UNILAD

The athletic brand XX-XY Athletics has awarded Turner with its Courage Wins Award plus a $5,000 prize and admittance into its leadership program. Stephanie Turner will join a very small list of people like Riley Gaines and Chloe Cole whose voices will be used in anti-gender campaigns.

Riley Gaines is on the Dept of HHS website and Chloe Cole who is on a speaking tour with Turning Point USA.

It is important to note that when Turner found out that she would be competing against Redmond Sullivan, she said, "All you have to do is confirm you have lived as a woman for at least a year.

"Nobody is checking any hormone levels, puberty blockers, or official documentation about being male or female.

"Grow your hair out, wear a wig, and you can automatically enter the women’s division."

And touching on the motivation for her protest, Turner revealed that she asked a friend to film it. - Fencer who refused to face trans opponent speaks out after receiving most serious punishment in her sport

Redmond Sullivan, who is the heart of this topic, has since left the women’s fencing team and it is still uncertain whether Ms. Redmond Sullivan left on her own or was removed by the team.

This is just the latest in a long line of transgender women who cannot get the opportunity to compete or play on the amateur or professional level due to the criticism, backlash and in the wake the Mr. Trump’s Executive Order banning transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.

But it’s not just on an adult level there are numerous legislations that have been filed since January 2025 all with the intent of excluding transgender students. A look in the 2025 Anti-Transgender Bill tracker shows that there are currently 72 different bills that have been introduced.

Looking deeper into the issue, it’s not just these legislations that will hurt transgender athletes, but it will ultimately hurt women, All women. Cisgender women are being misgendered at all levels from accessing bathrooms to having their biology questioned. Lauren Boebert mistook a cis-gender woman as Sarah McBride in the restroom. Sarah McBride is the first transgender Representative in Congress.

This obviously goes beyond just misgendering, which virtue tells us is harassment because of the lack of respect for an individual. Imane Khelif, the Algerian boxer who at the 2024 Paris Olympics was the target of speculation regarding her biological sex. She was disqualified by the International Boxing Association based upon their usage of gender testing but granted permission to fight from the International Olympics Committee.

Infamous author, J.K. Rowling and Donald Trump both made harassing remarks regarding Imane Khelif.

History has shown us that Julie d’Aubigny in the 17^th century was an acclaimed fencer who fought not only women but men and won on numerous occasions. Transgender women are under scrutiny in the UK for competing in billiards for the title in the Ultimate Pool Women’s Pro Series. Harriet Haynes was the winner in this competition. She was quoted to say in a previous interview, "isn't a gender-affected sport." She said she has "no advantage," and reiterated: "We're not talking about boxing or golf—we're talking about pool." - Women's Pool Final Played by Two Transgender Athletes - Newsweek

The issue is never with transgender men playing in men’s sports, but the focus of the argument is on transgender women who would have an ‘unfair advantage’ against cisgender women or risk serious injury.

How does a transgender women have an ‘unfair advantage’ in a competition such as billiards, darts (where Noa-Lynn van Leuven won) or in chess? The International Chess Federation said it would temporarily ban transgender women from competing in its women’s events.

The NCAA changed its participation policy for transgender athletes on Thursday, limiting competition in women’s sports to athletes who were assigned female at birth. - NCAA changes transgender policy to limit women's competition to athletes assigned female at birth | AP News

And most recently, Gavin Newsom, the Democratic Governor of California in his debut podcast threw the transgender community under the bus by agreeing with Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA who also sponsored Chloe Cole.

What is the point of sports or competition?

“Sports offer numerous benefits for physical, mental, and social well-being. Regular sports or physical activity can improve cardiovascular health, strengthen muscles and bones, boost immune function, reduce stress and anxiety, enhance mental health and cognitive functioning, promote teamwork and leadership skills, build confidence and self-esteem, foster cultural exchange and inclusion” The Importance of Sports: Benefits and Impact on Individuals and Society - Sports Times