DOGE Committee Hearing on USA Fencing's Transgender Policies Features Stephanie Turner, Lehfeldt, McNabb Injury

A hearing was held by the DOGE Committee in Washington, D.C., focusing on USA Fencing's policies regarding transgender athletes competing in women's sports. The hearing was prompted by controversy after an elite female fencer, Stephanie Turner, protested by taking a knee against competing with a transgender woman at an Olympic qualifier. USA Fencing Board Chair Damien Lehfeldt testified in support of allowing transgender women to compete against biological women, while Turner, who refused to compete against a transgender athlete, also testified. The hearing, led by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, aimed to investigate compliance with former President Trump's executive order to exclude transgender men from women's sports. Greene and other Republican lawmakers argued that allowing transgender men to compete in women's sports is unfair and causes physical and psychological harm to female athletes. They cited incidents such as volleyball player Payton McNabb being injured by a transgender male competitor as evidence. The hearing was marked by strong rhetoric against transgender participation in women's sports, with lawmakers accusing USA Fencing of enabling what they described as abuse against women athletes. The hearing also featured criticism of the political left for allegedly prioritizing transgender rights over the safety and fairness for women in sports. The debate reflects ongoing national tensions over transgender inclusion policies in athletics.