Topline
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom—considered a trailblazer for same-sex marriage and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights—said trans athletes shouldn’t be allowed to play in women’s sports, taking a side on a divisive issue as Democrats’ work to rebuild their messaging strategy after a disastrous 2024 election.
Gov. Gavin Newsom holds a press conference at East Los Angeles College on Wednesday, February 26, … [+]
Key Facts
Newsom said “it’s deeply unfair” for trans athletes to compete in women’s sports, touting the GOP for “being able to weaponize” the issue—a nod to political ads highlighting Kamala Harris’ support for publicly funded gender-transition medical care for federal prisoners and jailed migrants—adding “that’s easy to call out, the unfairness of that.”
Newsom also expressed sympathy for trans people, noting “there’s also a humility and a grace, that these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression.”
Newsom made the comments in a conversation with right-wing media personality Charlie Kirk in the debut episode of the governor’s podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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