In 2018, Brendan Johnston, a high school wrestler from Colorado, made headlines after forfeiting two state tournament matches because his opponents were girls. The 18-year-old senior at The Classical Academy cited his Christian faith and personal beliefs, saying he felt uncomfortable with the physical closeness of wrestling females and believed it was inappropriate.
Brendan emphasized that his decision wasn’t about inequality but rather about respecting women and staying true to his values. “Men and women are different, but that doesn’t mean women are less,” he said.
As a result, Brendan placed sixth in the tournament, while his would-be opponents, Jaslynn Gallegos and Angel Rios, placed fourth and fifth. Jaslynn expressed disappointment but said she respected his choice. “I’m not a girl wrestler, I’m just a wrestler,” she stated.
The story sparked debate over gender roles in sports and balancing faith with competition.
