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EXCLUSIVE: Fencer Stephanie Turner became a prominent activist to protect women's sports in 2025 after footage of her kneeling in protest of a transgender opponent went viral in April.
It was the last USA Fencing competition she took part in. In the nine months since then, USA Fencing has been scrutinized at a congressional hearing, faced multiple lawsuits over the issue of trans inclusion, changed its gender eligibility policy to only allow females to compete in women's competitions, replaced its board chair, and even issued a statement acknowledging it is looking to earn the trust of its athletes and fans after a year of controversy.
But Turner suggested she is looking for more assurances when asked by Fox News Digital if she would consider returning to USA Fencing competitions in the wake of the recent changes.
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"This change of leadership at USA Fencing is merely a game of musical chairs. These Board members are cut from the same woke cloth and, without a watchful eye, they will resort to the same policies that got them a Congressional hearing in the first place. Due to the ongoing lawsuits, I prefer to return when the dust settles," Turner said.
USA Fencing responded on whether Turner would be welcome back.
"USA Fencing welcomes participation from any eligible athlete who meets our current membership requirements and competition rules. Our focus remains on fostering a safe, respectful, and positive environment for everyone involved in the sport," the organization said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
When Turner knelt in protest of a trans fencer at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland during the final weekend of March, she was given a black card – the most severe penalty in the sport. She was disqualified from the event, escorted out of the venue and then given a 12-month probation by the organization.
But Turner opted to step away from the organization all together, and focused her attention on activism for the protection of women's sports.
Turner testified at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee hearing on transgender athletes, which became a major flashpoint in the political conflict over the protection of women's sports in the U.S.
Turner previously told Fox News Digital after the May hearing that she would work to lobby leadership changes to USA Fencing after stepping away from the sport.
"I'm going to be pushing for people to resign, to be honest. I'd like to see some people resign for the comments that they've made, especially publicly, ones that are harassing and meant to humiliate concerned women, mothers and daughters," Turner said.
USA Fencing's board then voted to amend its policy that prioritized states with LGBTQ-friendly laws for host sites for competitions and a policy that may have prevented the playing of the national anthem at some events, at its June 7 meeting.
Then in July, USA Fencing then changed its transgender participation policy to only permit female competitors to participate in the women's category. The change was made to ensure compliance with the USOPC's new athlete safety policy, which now cites President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order.
In October, former USA Fencing board chair Damien Lehfeldt declined to seek re-election. Paralympic medalist Dr. Scott Rodgers was elected the organization's new chair, becoming the first active athlete and first parafencer to lead the board.
At the end of November, USA Fencing provided a statement to Fox News Digital, expressing its desire to earn trust among fans and athletes.
"USA Fencing remains deeply committed to earning and maintaining the trust of our athletes, fans, and the wider fencing community. The election of Dr. Scott Rodgers as Board Chair reflects our dedication to athlete-centered governance and the continued growth of fencing at every level," the statement said. "We recognize the challenges of the past several months and are focused on moving forward with integrity, transparency, and a clear vision for the future."
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U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) (C) speaks to Stephanie Turner (L) and Payton McNabb (R) during the hearing on "Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports" held by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, District of Columbia, on May 7, 2025. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
USA Fencing will be growing the sport at the NCAA level, announcing that Arcadia University in Pennsylvania and Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey will be adding men's and women's fencing teams to its varsity sports, beginning in fall 2027.
The organization is currently being sued by U.S. Olympic fencer Margherita Guzzi Vincenti, alongside fellow competitive women's fencers Emma Griffin and Patricia Hughes, who allege USA Fencing knowingly permitted biological males to compete in women’s divisions while advertising events as female-only at the 2025 North American Cup (NAC) in Kansas City, Missouri, in January.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
