Respecting personal beliefs and staying true to them is something admirable. Brendan Johnston, a former high school wrestler from Colorado, demonstrated this when he decided to forfeit two state tournament matches against female opponents in 2018.
The debate surrounding physical competition between males and females is a topic that is often discussed nowadays. Many people believe that it’s unfair to pit men and women against each other because they are inherently different biologically and in various other ways. Brendan, an 18-year-old senior from the Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, shared this perspective and refused to wrestle against Jaslynn Gallegos of Skyview High in the first round of the state tournament. He also decided not to fight Angel Rios from Valley High in his third-round consolation match.
Brendan attributed his decision to his Christian beliefs and his upbringing, which taught him to treat women with respect. He expressed discomfort with the physicality and aggression of wrestling against a girl. However, he made it clear that he still considers women to be of equal value to men, despite recognizing their differences.
As a result of Brendan’s decision, he placed sixth in the tournament, while Jaslynn and Angel secured fourth and fifth place respectively. Although Jaslynn respected Brendan’s choice, she admitted feeling disappointed that her gender still played a role in such decisions. She has always strived to prove that she is not just a “girl wrestler,” but a wrestler in her own right.
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