Female fencing star Stephanie Turner declined to face a transgender opponent in a late-March tournament, leading to her disqualification from the tournament and an explosion of a debate about women’s sports online. But while she lost the tournament because she declined to compete, it wasn’t all a loss for Turner: she also won a big award and reward from a pro-women’s sports clothing brand.

The match at which the original incident occurred was the USA Fencing tournament on March 30, 2025, during which Turner was slated to compete against transgender competitor Redmond Sullivan. Turner took a knee and refused to compete, leading to her being disqualified from the tournament.

Commenting on that decision in the wake of the incident, Turner said, according to media reports, “I saw that I was going to be in a pool with Redmond, and from there I said: ‘OK, let’s do it. I’m going to take the knee.’” Building on that, she added, “I knew what I had to do because USA Fencing had not been listening to women’s objections regarding [its gender eligibility policy].”

Regarding the USA Fencing policy that led to Turner’s disqualification, the organization released a statement saying, “USA Fencing enacted our current transgender and non-binary athlete policy in 2023. The policy was designed to expand access to the sport of fencing and create inclusive, safe spaces.”

Continuing, USA Fencing’s statement defended the policy but suggested that things might change as public opinion shifts, saying, “The policy is based on the principle that everyone should have the ability to participate in sports and was based upon the research available of the day. We understand that the conversation on equity and inclusion pertaining to transgender participation in sport is evolving.”

Concluding its statement on much the same note, USA Fencing said, “USA Fencing will always err on the side of inclusion, and we’re committed to amending the policy as more relevant evidence-based research emerges, or as policy changes take effect in the wider Olympic & Paralympic movement.” Watch Turner comment on the incident and USA Fencing’s statement here:

But then, in some good news, a clothing brand called XX-XY Athletics, a brand that refers to itself as the “only brand that stands up for women’s sports,” awarded Ms. Turner with its Courage Wins Award, and added that as the winner of that award, she would also receive a monetary prize of $5,000.

Commenting in a press release on her brand’s awarding of the cash prize and honor to Ms. Turner, XX-XY founder Jennifer Sey argued that the fencer had taken a brave stand for women’s sports. She said, “By taking a knee, she became more powerful than any male. She stood her ground to fight for women’s sports. She’s a hero.”

Building on that, the XX-XY founder explained that the reason for the cash prize is that it helps take the “sting” out of cancelation that many female athletes can face when they express a differing opinion on the matter of competing against transgender athletes. She said, “We aim to take the sting out of monetary cancelation and platform these women and bring them on board. They have community. They have support. They will not stand alone.”