The Trans Superiority Narrative (TSN) adopted by America’s leftists and their institutions tells us anyone who so identifies is a superior being. In touch with a higher morality and reality, their whims must not only be adopted but praised by mere Normal Americans. Compared to their brilliance, the hard work, sacrifices and rights of America’s women are meaningless. We are also told of their superhuman courage, which when backed by the entire leftist establishment, and prior to January 20, the entire federal government, might be considered something less than genuine bravery.
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At the beginning of April, fencer Stephanie Turner joined the expanding ranks of actual women demonstrating real courage. She refused to fence a man pretending to be a woman, was black- carded—fencing’s most serious sanction–and in an act of spite, tournament officials ejected her from the venue.
Turner had previously avoided competitions with trans entrants, but this one apparently registered after Turner, and she wasn’t aware she’d have to fence him until she’d already fenced four bouts. USA Fencing was quick to defend itself, saying she was ousted for refusing to fence, not because USA Fencing was upholding any ideology, no sir. While such a rule exists, there is more than sufficient reason to believe they were motivated by the TSN.
Turner knew her refusal to fence men would badly damage her ability to compete. Fencing is an insular and rule-bound sport, slow to change and European dominated. The language of European fencing is French and the FIE is the international governing body.
Fencing has never caught on in America, a country with no civilian tradition of the sword. Most people attending tournaments are other fencers and their families and friends. In Olympic competition, fencing might get 10 minutes of TV coverage. To the uninitiated, two fencers stand motionless, there’s a sudden blur of motion, and a touch is awarded or not while onlookers wonder what just happened.
They might also wonder about Turner. Sen. Ted Cruz does, and his committee is investigating USA Fencing’s treatment of Turner and its trans cheerleading policies:
“It has come to my attention that USA Fencing is still permitting men to compete in women’s fencing in violation of federal law,” Cruz wrote.
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While USA Fencing does not receive federal funds, they are the National Governing Body (NGB) for the sport in the United States, according to the report. Given that fact, the organization must comply with federal law — which includes President Donald Trump’s executive order barring transgender-identifying men from women’s sports — or risk losing (NGB) status, Cruz wrote.
That status can be revoked by Congress. That’s a powerful incentive for USA Fencing to recognize biological reality if egos don’t get in the way. It appears they might:
The Independent Council of Women’s Sports shared several screenshots this week from [USA Fencing Chair Damien] Lehfelt’s Instagram Stories in which he outright said that “cisgendered” women should be disadvantaged while arrogantly thumbing his nose in the face of a woman who complained about his stance.
“Arrogantly” apparently barely describes Lehfelt’s stance:
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According to Reduxx, Lehfelt previously said “transgender women are women” when he posted an article to his blog, The Fencing Coach, and even told women to believe that giving male “athletes a sense of belonging and a will to live is more powerful than medals and competitive glory.”
Ah. So, the purpose of sport is to give mentally ill men “a sense of belonging and a will to live?” Sport, particularly fencing, has nothing to do with “medals and competitive glory?” It appears Western Civilization, back to at least the ancient Greeks, has been wrong about that. Now that we have the TSN and Lehfelt, we can do without psychologists. Trans men’s psychological needs are being met by figuratively and actually beating women.
As with most sports, pushing back against the trans tide is dangerous for actual female athletes. Most collegiate fencing is centered in the Ivy League, and women who might otherwise never be admitted can find an in with fencing. Despite the Trump Administration’s efforts to keep men out of women’s sports, universities continue to overtly and covertly resist, which can deny female fencers any opportunity to participate in their sport.
Leftists continue to call men pretending to be women “stunning” and “brave,” but it takes no bravery when fencing’s governing body, half of Congress, virtually the entire media and virtually every university participating in fencing is on their side.
European fencing uses three weapons: the foil, epee and saber. While cutting is a tactic in saber fencing, European fencing is primarily a thrusting sport. Japanese fencing—Kendo—is primarily a cutting sport.
As with all combat sports, men enjoy an overwhelming advantage over women. Strength, size, reach, body extension—men tend to have longer torsos—and aggressiveness all favor men, which is why until Democrats adopted the TSN, men fenced men and women fenced women. Certainly, women fence men in training. Fencing better athletes can improve technique, but every honest fencer knows women can’t compete with men.
This isn’t about bravery or nonexistent “trans rights.” It’s about mediocre male athletes “identifying” as women to suddenly, dishonorably, win. Hopefully, American fencing will once again recognize reality and if so, we’ll have Stephanie Turner to thank.
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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
This article was originally published at www.americanthinker.com
