Brendan Johnson, an 18-year-old high school wrestler, withdrew from the state competition after seeing who he was up against.
Although Johnson, from Colorado, says that he dropped out of the tournament because of his religious beliefs, detractors doubt whether it was something more. Johnson was pitted against female wrestlers and preferred to leave the contest rather than face them in the ring.
Brandon withdrew from his preliminary match against Skyview High senior Jaslynn Gallegos last month because he refused to compete against a woman. Then, when he got into the relief matches, he resigned against the third competitor, Angel Rios from Valley High.
He relinquished both girls rather than competing with them. Angel Rios finished fourth, while Jaslynn Gallegos finished fifth.
Brandon Johnson is a graduate of Colorado Springs’ Classical Academy. Despite the fact that his forfeits terminated his high school battling career, he remarked that it was preferable to lose by quitting than to combat a girl due to his spiritual and personal views.
Brendan identifies as a Christian. In an interview with KDVR, he said that getting that close to a woman was a violation of his beliefs.
“It’s so physical, so close.” That is not appropriate for a female, in my opinion. It’s also really aggressive, and I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that.”
Brendan was more than willing to talk to the news outlet about his thoughts on Christianity and fighting.
“There is something that I find difficult about the idea of battling with a woman, and a part of that stems from my faith and belief.” And some of it is from how I was raised to deal with women, as well as potentially from other experiences and stuff.”
Although Brandon declined to fight since his opponents were women, he does not view this as an issue of equality.
“I don’t think I’m looking at them as being dissimilar. I’m asserting that they are ladies rather than men because I believe that males and females are distinct and that we are created in different ways. However, I believe that ladies are worth the same as men. I do not feel that viewing men and women as different opposes the notion of equality.”
Brandon’s forfeits were so egregious that he was granted another interview with The Denver Post. He said that he had never competed against a woman since he joined the sport in seventh grade.
“I also believe in physical aggression. On the mat, I don’t want to deal with a female like her. Alternatively, take off the mat. And not to diminish her heart or the work she has done. That’s not something I want to do, either. We fumble because it’s what we do; it’s not who we are. And there are more important things to me than my blunders. And I want those to be my top priorities.”
Gallegos began fighting when she was five years old. Johnson’s surrender struck her as sexist.
Gallegos told The Washington Post about her feelings about Brandon stopping because she was a lady.
“This entire time that I have actually battled, it’s simply me attempting to show a point that I am simply a wrestler,” she told the Washington Post. “As a result, the fact that my gender is something that still holds me back is a little stressful, but I appreciate his choice.” It’s fantastic. My whole idea is that I’m not a female wrestler; I’m just a wrestler. So it doesn’t exactly hurt my feelings, but I do take it seriously.”