The Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), chaired by Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), has announced a hearing titled “Unfair Play: Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” This hearing will review the effects of policies by athletic governance bodies that permit biological men to compete in women’s sports. The assessment will focus on contradictions with federal law related to equal athletic opportunities and former President Trump’s Executive Order on the same issue. Chairwoman Greene disclosed that a subpoena has been issued for USA Fencing Board Chair Damien Lehfeldt, who has declined to voluntarily attend the hearing.
Greene stated, “Women’s sports are for women only. Radical leftists pushing to let biological men compete against women are destroying fair competition and putting female athletes in physical danger. Stephanie Turner and Payton McNabb have the courage to call out this insanity, and they are heroes to women across America. USA Fencing and other athletic National Governing Bodies that demean women and deny them opportunities to succeed on the field of competition must be held accountable. We will hear from these two brave women at our hearing, and we will hold USA Fencing publicly accountable for violating the law and endangering women.”
Recently, Stephanie Turner, a competitive fencer, was scheduled to compete against a biological male at a USA Fencing women’s tournament in Maryland. She protested by taking a knee and subsequently was excluded from the event. USA Fencing maintains its commitment to inclusivity. Lehfeldt has supported the inclusion of biological men in women’s sports but acknowledges potential physical advantages.
Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player, was injured during a match with a biological male, leading to severe injuries.
The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET. It will take place in HVC-210, Capitol Visitors Center. Key witnesses include Stephanie Turner, Payton McNabb, and Damien Lehfeldt, who is under subpoena. The event will be livestreamed, and media personnel are required to RSVP by Tuesday, May 6, at 5:00 PM ET.
