Trump admin comes to agreement with school of trans fencer seen in viral protest video
The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday it came to an agreement with Wagner College on the issue of biologically male trans athletes in women’s sports. The agreement cites a viral incident where female fencer Stephanie Turner kneeled to protest a trans fencer who competed for Wagner, at a USA Fencing event.
Wagner has agreed to apologize to all of its female athletes who competed against the trans athlete, Redmond Sullivan, per the DOE announcement. The school will also adopt new biological definition for male and female in its sports programs, per the announcement.
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Footage of Turner kneeling toward Sullivan at the Cherry Blossom Open in Maryland went viral in early April. Turner was given a black card, the harshest penalty in the sport, for her refusal to fence Sullivan, disqualified from the event and dealt a 12-month probation.
Sullivan did not represent Wagner at the event.
Wagner later told Fox News Digital that Sullivan was no longer on the fencing team. The NCAA had changed its gender eligibility policy to comply President Donald Trump’s executive order on the issue in early February.
But now Wagner is complying directly with Trump’s administration to address the incident.
The agreement comes just weeks after the University of Pennsylvania came to a similar agreement over the 2022 Lia Thomas controversy.
“On the heels of our agreement with the University of Pennsylvania, the Trump Administration secured another historic Title IX agreement with Wagner College. After Stephanie Turner, a female athlete, bravely take a knee and forfeit a fencing match against a male competing in a female category, our Office for Civil Rights launched its investigation into Wagner College and the University of Maryland, where the event was hosted. Wagner has agreed to apologize for putting a male on their female fencing team and will revise its policies to comply with Title IX,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said.
“Because of President Trump’s leadership, the tide is turning on our nation’s campuses. We commend Wagner College for working with the Department to repair its harm to female athletes and ensuring future generations of women and girls have equal opportunities.”
The Department of Education provided a list of conditions:
Fox News’ Ryan Canfield contributed to this report.
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