Are Men And Women Always Separate In Competitions?

I am wondering about fencing competitions. Do men and women fence separately, or do they fence each other, or is there an option for them to choose which they prefer? I am sure they would each have their advantages and disadvantages. I know they make separate men’s and women’s uniforms, but I would assume the other fencing equipment would be the same regardless of sex. Would either men or women have a distinct advantage against the other sex during a competition? I suppose if that were the case then they would be more likely to keep the sexes separate during competition.