By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-12 22:01:49 | Updated at 2024-12-23 12:36:56
1 week ago
A transgender varsity fencer who switched to her college's women's team has won gold at a prestigious competition.
Redmond Sullivan clinched the top prize at Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers last weekend.
The fencing Junior Olympics is an annual competition for American athletes under the age of 20 who compete for a national title.
Sullivan was transferred to Wagner College's women's team this year having previously competed in the men's division.
It comes after she competed for the girls' teams at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Connecticut in track and field events.
The transfer has been criticized by tennis legend Martina Navratilova and the Independent Council on Women's Sport (ICONs).
Navratilova, who is gay, has been vocal in her opposition to allowing transgender women to compete in female sports and says they have an unfair advantage.
'And again....' she wrote in a post on X referencing a Reduxx report about Sullivan.
Varsity fencer Redmond Sullivan clinched gold at the Connecticut Division Junior Olympic Qualifiers last weekend
Sullivan transferred from the Wagner College men's team to the women's team this year
ICONS co-founder Marshi Smith also criticized the New York City college's decision.
'The NCAA is repeatedly rewarding the replacement of women in order to champion men in women's sports,' Smith told the outlet.
'This ongoing pattern of discrimination is why we are supporting a female athlete's lawsuit against the organization.
'Legal action is necessary to hold the National AA accountable for its repeated failures to uphold fairness and equality in women's sports, with fencing being a particularly troubling example.'
On its website, Wagner College states that it, 'strives to create inclusive and supportive environments for LGBTQIA+ students'.
When contacted head fencing coach David Sierra deferred to the university's media team, who did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Sullivan came first out of six competitors in the Junior Women's Foil event in Newtown, Connecticut on Sunday.
The win earned her a ranking of E24 per Fencing Tracker. In the sport, fencers are ranked A (highest) to E (lowest).
Tennis star Martina Navratilova was among those to speak about the decision to allow Sullivan to compete on a team which aligns with her gender
Prior to that, Sullivan ranked 48th out of 50 in a Division I women's foil event and 31st out 36th in a division II event.
Last year, Sullivan was competing for the men's team and 29th in a men's foil event. DailyMail.com has contacted her for comment.
Trans inclusivity in sport has become a hotly debated topic since President Joe Biden extended Title IX protections to transgender people in 2021.
The law prohibits sex-based discrimination for any educational program receiving federal funding.
President-elect Donald Trump has since vowed to roll back the protections.
The debate on transgender women in sports largely centers on whether going through puberty as a male confers advantages that biological female athletes do not have.
Many sporting bodies say trans women must have been on treatment for a certain amount of time and lowered testosterone levels to a set level before they are eligible to compete.
Supporters of trans athletes say that transgender people are a small, vulnerable population and that the numbers of trans athletes is tiny.
