Respect is always well deserved if you uphold your convictions and make a sacrifice in the service of your religion.
Former Colorado high school wrestler Brendan Johnston is well aware of it. According to reports, he apparently forfeited two state tournament matches against girls back in 2018.
By declining to accept the matches, he basically ended his high school career in the sport due to his personal and religious views.
Maybe more than ever these days, the idea of putting adult males and females in physical competition is being debated.
Of course, the majority of people think it’s unjust to pit men and women against one another. The two sexes differ greatly from one another, not the least of which is biological, thus the playing field isn’t even leveled at first.
Either way, the notion of facing Skyview High’s Jaslynn Gallegos in the opening round of a state tournament in 2018 infuriated 18-year-old Brendan Johnson. Brendan, a senior at Colorado Springs’ Classical Academy at the time, also chose not to compete against Valley High’s Angel Rios in his third-round consolation bout.
Christian Brendan stated, “It’s so physical, physically close,” in an interview with KDVR. That’s not really suitable, in my opinion, with a young lady. Additionally, it’s pretty aggressive, and I’m not really comfortable with that.
The speaker went on, “I truly do find the thought of battling with a girl troubling, and part of that does stem from my faith and my belief.
And that does stem in part from the way I was brought up to treat women as well as possibly from other events and things.
“I don’t believe I am viewing them as less equal. Because I do think that men and women are different and that we are designed differently, I am saying that they are women and that is distinct from them being guys.
However, I continue to think that men and women are equally valuable. I don’t believe that the concept of equality is opposed by the premise that men and women are different.
Brendan finished sixth since he didn’t wrestle the two girls, whereas Angel and Jaslynn finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
But Jaslynn was upset that Brendan decided not to play in a possible match. “This whole time that I’ve wrestled, it’s just me trying to prove a point that I am just a wrestler,” she stated at the time in an interview with the Washington Post.
It makes me a little uneasy because my gender is something that still holds me back, but I appreciate his choice. It’s alright.
“My entire point is that I’m just a wrestler; I’m not a girl wrestler. Thus, while it doesn’t exactly hurt my feelings, I do take it personally.
Read more about Brendan’s significant call here:
How do you feel about Brendan’s choice not to engage in a wrestling match with a female? Please tell us in the comments section. In the meanwhile, if you like reading this post, you should read the others below!
Husband Walks Into Hospital and Immediately Dumps Wife After Seeing Their Newborn Twins!
Here’s the article rewritten in simple language while keeping the same word count and paragraphs:
“You lied to me!” Instead of being happy about our newborn twin daughters, my husband got angry and accused me of being unfaithful. With hurtful words and a cold exit, Mark broke our family apart. Now, I’m determined to make him pay for leaving us.
I lay in the white hospital bed, feeling tired but happy. Even though my body was sore, it all felt worth it as I looked at the two beautiful baby girls resting beside me.
Midjourney
Here’s the article rewritten in simple language, maintaining the same word count, paragraph length, and removing the image sources:
The babies cooed softly, and tears of joy ran down my face. After years of trying to have children and a long, difficult pregnancy, I was finally a mom. It was the best feeling in the world!
I reached for my phone and typed a message to Mark, my husband: “They’re here. Two beautiful girls. Can’t wait for you to meet them.”
I hit send, a content smile forming on my face as I imagined his excitement.
This was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of our lives, and I never could have guessed how quickly it would turn into the worst.
A little while later, the door opened, and there he was. But instead of joy, Mark’s expression was cold — like a man walking into a meeting he didn’t want to attend.
“Hey,” I said softly, forcing a smile. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
Mark finally looked at the twins, and I saw his jaw tighten. His face showed disappointment before his lips curled in disgust.
“What is this?” he muttered, more to himself than to me.
Confusion filled me, pressing heavily against my chest. “What do you mean? They’re our daughters! What’s wrong with you, Mark?”
His gaze sharpened.
I could see the anger building up, ready to explode. And when it did, it hit like a storm.
“I’ll tell you what’s wrong: you tricked me!” he shouted. “You never told me we were having girls!”
I blinked, stunned. “Why does it matter? They’re healthy. They’re perfect!”
I reached for his hand, trying to calm him, but he yanked it away, disgust clear on his face.
“It matters a lot! This isn’t what I wanted, Lindsey! I thought we were having boys!” His voice grew louder, bouncing off the hospital walls, and I felt every word cut into me. “This family was supposed to carry on my name!”
My heart sank. “You’re serious? You’re mad because… they’re girls?”
“You’re darn right!” He stepped back like the sight of the babies made him sick. “Everyone knows only boys can carry on a legacy! You… you cheated on me, didn’t you? These can’t be mine.”
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. It felt like he knocked the air out of my lungs.
“How can you even say that?” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “You’re really accusing me of cheating because I had daughters?”
But he was already walking toward the door, his hands clenching in anger.
“I’m not raising someone else’s kids,” he spat, his voice harsh and final. “I’m out.”
Before I could respond — before I could beg or scream or cry — he was gone. The door slammed shut behind him with a loud thud. And just like that, everything I thought I knew fell apart.
I looked down at my daughters, still in my arms, their tiny faces peaceful.
“It’s okay, sweethearts,” I whispered, though my heart felt anything but okay.
And for the first time since they were born, I started to cry.
Mark disappeared. No calls. No messages. The only news I got about him was from friends, who said he was on vacation somewhere sunny, drinking cocktails with the same guys who cheered us on at our wedding.
That’s right; he left me and went on vacation. It wasn’t just the betrayal. It was how easily he walked away, as if our life together meant nothing.
But the worst was yet to come.
I was back home, settling into a routine with the girls, when I got the first message from Mark’s mother, Sharon.
I was so relieved! Sharon was a tough woman, and I believed Mark would change his mind if his mother supported me.
My hands shook as I played Sharon’s voicemail. Her words were harsh and cruel.
“You ruined everything,” Sharon said angrily. “Mark deserved sons. How could you do this to him? To our family? How could you betray my son like this?”
I was so shocked, I dropped my phone. Her words cut deeper than anything Mark had said. To them, I hadn’t just given birth to daughters — I had failed. And they wanted me to pay for it.
I stared at my phone, trying to process this new attack.
Then my phone started ringing again. It was Sharon. I let it ring and watched as another voicemail notification popped up.
Then the texts started. Each message was more hurtful than the last. Sharon called me every name you can think of, blaming me for cheating on Mark, for having daughters, for not being a good wife… it just went on and on.
Mark’s entire family had turned against me. I was completely alone.
I tried to stay strong, but at night, the nursery became both my safe place and my prison. I’d sit in the rocking chair, holding my daughters close, whispering promises I wasn’t sure I could keep.
“I’ll protect you,” I said softly, the words as much for me as for them. “We’ll be okay. Everything will turn out just fine, you’ll see.”
But some nights, I wasn’t so sure. Sometimes, the loneliness and fear were so heavy that I thought I might break.
One night, I found myself crying as I fed the girls. It all felt like too much.
“I can’t do this anymore,” I sobbed. “It’s too hard. I can’t keep waiting…”
And then it hit me. I’d been waiting for Mark to come back and realize his mistake, but he hadn’t done anything to make me believe that would ever happen. He hadn’t even called.
I looked down at my girls and knew it was time to stand up for them and for myself.
A lawyer gave me my first bit of hope.
“With Mark’s abandonment,” she said thoughtfully, “you have a strong case. Full custody. Child support. We’ll handle visitation on your terms.”
Her words were like a lifeline. Finally, I had some control and something to fight for. And I wasn’t stopping there.
Mark wanted out? Fine. I was more than happy to divorce him, but he wouldn’t get away so easily.
I created a new social media profile, carefully sharing the story I wanted people to see.
Post after post showed my daughters’ milestones: tiny hands grabbing toys, their first smiles, and giggles. Each photo showed a piece of our happy life, and every caption carried a clear message: Mark wasn’t part of it.
Friends shared my posts, family left comments, and soon, everyone knew. Mark might have left, but I was building something beautiful without him.
The open house was my final stand. I invited everyone. The only person not welcome was Mark. I even made sure the invitation said so.
On the big day, the house was full of warmth and laughter. The twins wore matching outfits with tiny bows in their hair. Guests couldn’t stop admiring how adorable they were.
Then the door burst open, and there was Mark, angry and wild-eyed. The room fell silent.
“What is this?” he shouted. “You’ve turned everyone against me!”
I stood, my heart racing but steady. “You left us, Mark, because you didn’t want daughters. That was your choice.”
“You robbed me of my chance to pass down my legacy!” he shot back, his eyes filled with rage.
“You’re not welcome here,” I said, my voice calm. “We don’t need a man like you in our family. This is our life now.”
My friends stood beside me, their presence silent but strong. Defeated, Mark turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Weeks later, Mark received the court papers detailing the child support, custody, and visitation arrangements. He couldn’t escape. He’d still have to face the responsibility of being a father, even if he wasn’t going to be a dad.
Sharon’s final message came later — maybe an apology, maybe more anger. It didn’t matter. I deleted it without listening.
I was done with their family and done with the past.
That night, as I rocked my daughters, the future stretched out before us — bright, open, and ours alone.
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