Fencer reveals difficulties after taking stand on trans inclusion in women's sports

Fencer Stephanie Turner spoke out about some of the difficulties that came with her decision to take a knee in protest of competing against a transgender athlete during a competition.

Turner was honored as the Courage Wins Champion by XX-XY Athletics following the decision, which led to her expulsion from the event and a USA Fencing investigation.

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She appeared on OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast with Riley Gaines to talk about the award and opened up about coming out against trans inclusion in women’s sports.

"There are quite a lot of women who are witnessing men in their sports, and they are trying to save their own sports on their own, and it’s hard to come out because you essentially nuke your whole life," she said. "You can face social ostracism, you can have financial blowback, you can have training disrupted, and you could have officials or referees now not being very favorable toward you for the rest of your life. 

"There’s no end to the backlash that you may face, or you could have threats on your life like I know in your case you have had such things happen to you. So, it’s not fun being on the receiving end of this. It’s not what I wanted to do, and it helps to have people who acknowledge that, that it takes some sort of sacrifice to bring attention to an issue and I appreciate XX-XY for their acknowledgment."

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USA Fencing told Fox News Digital that Turner is now on probation for the next 12 months after receiving a black card for the forfeit. She can still compete in events under the probation but is choosing not to.

"I'm going to be taking a break from fencing for a while in the U.S. circuit, so that's a little bit of a disruption for me… It has disrupted my training, it has disrupted my interactions when I go out in public, and it will certainly disrupt my competition because I won't be competing in the United States any time soon," she told Fox News Digital when asked if her expectation that taking the knee would "destroy her life," came true.

Instead, Turner will focus on her new mission in the movement to ban trans athletes from women's sports.

"I will remain in the public eye for as long as it takes to resolve this," she said.

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

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