About this episode

Red Sullivan discusses her experiences with trans rights in sports and the implications of recent events.

Red Sullivan, a student and athlete at the University of Connecticut, shares her experiences with trans rights, sports policies, and the interconnectedness of social issues. In March, 2025, Red was competing at a regional tournament called the Cherry Blossom Open at the University of Maryland, when at the start of one of her matches with 31-year-old Stephanie Turner, Red’s opponent removed her mask, took a knee and declined participate against Red, who was 19 at the time, citing mutual respect but noting “this is a women's event. I'm a woman and you're a man. I will not fence you.” This conversation traverses the intricate politics of that event but also the broader anti-trans movement. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context of the Incident 02:49 Reflections on the Incident and Media Response 06:01 Evolving Comfort with Public Discourse 09:12 Shifts in Sports Policies and Their Implications 12:13 Understanding Advantages in Fencing 14:48 The Intersection of Class and Athlete Abuse 18:12 The Broader Implications of Trans Athletes in Sports 35:37 The Silence of Athlete Abuse 46:13 Political Education and Activism in Sports 56:12 The Politics of Exclusion in Sports Keywords: trans…

People in this episode

Hosts: Priyansh, Anna Posbergh

Guest: Red Sullivan

Topics covered

• trans rights
• sports policies
• social justice
• athlete abuse
• political activism
• discrimination

Keywords

• trans athletes
• sports policy
• discrimination
• social justice
• athlete abuse
• class disparities
• political activism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, NCAA, USA Fencing, IOC

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The End of Sport podcast page.