Stephanie Turner, a female fencer, was disqualified from the Cherry Blossom Open for kneeling in protest against competing with transgender athletes. She expressed fear over facing transgender opponents and the potential bias she could encounter from referees. Despite her avoidance of tournaments with transgender competitors, Turner felt compelled to take a stand but faced backlash in the sport's culture. Her protest and subsequent disqualification highlight the tensions surrounding transgender participation in women's sports, along with the risks athletes face in voicing their opinions.
"So what I was doing already was just avoiding tournaments where I knew there was a transgender fencer. But at this point, what else should I do?"
"I was like, I don't even want to reach out because if I do, then I won't ever have a fair bout in my life."
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