USA Fencing chair grilled by DOGE as trans – Sports News
USA Fencing Chair Damien Lehfeldt confronted intense scrutiny during a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee listening to, as the group’s transgender inclusion insurance policies got here below fire following the disqualification of fencer Stephanie Turner.
Turner, 31, was disqualified from the Cherry Blossom Open after kneeling in protest reasonably than competing in opposition to transgender athlete Redmond Sullivan. She acquired a black card and was positioned on a 12-month probation, prompting her to take a hiatus from the game. Turner expressed emotions of betrayal by USA Fencing, stating, “I cried the whole night” after the incident.
During the listening to, Lehfeldt was questioned about an Instagram post the place he responded “yeah” to a question about disadvantageous feminine fencers. He admitted the response lacked nuance and expressed remorse, clarifying that the feedback had been made in a personal capability and didn’t replicate USA Fencing coverage.
“He was under oath, but I was surprised that he admitted having written a fake response that he posted on his Instagram,” Turner stated.
“So the simple admission that he knows what he’s doing, and the intimidation tactics that he’s been employing online, and he knows that they’re wrong, and he hadn’t redacted them until that point, it took a hearing, a subpoenaed hearing for him to do that, it was surprising.”
Republican lawmakers, together with Rep. Nancy Mace, criticized Lehfeldt’s stance, with Mace stating, “Real men protect women, you’re not one.” Lehfeldt declined to apologize to Turner, citing adherence to organizational guidelines.
USA Fencing’s 2023 coverage permits transgender girls to compete in girls’s occasions after 12 months of testosterone suppression therapy. However, critics argue that physiological benefits persist past this period. A proposed coverage revision would require athletes to compete in keeping with their organic intercourse.
Turner emphasised the need for coverage change over apologies, stating, “An apology is just empty words without actions to me.” She plans to advocate for management resignations within USA Fencing, asserting that the group has created a climate of worry for ladies who query transgender inclusion.
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“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 stated.
The Department of Education’s Title IX investigations group is probing the incident, including to the growing debate over equity and inclusion in girls’s sports activities.
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