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After weeks of criticism from political allies, Gov. Gavin Newsom explained why he shared his belief that it is unfair for trans athletes to compete in women’s sports.
In a recent interview with The Times, he said that he had been deliberating on the issue for many years, but he expressed his opinion last month, expressing his opinion on his podcast and not setting up an interview with the conservative character Charlie Kirk to break the news.
The governor said the moment happened organically after Kirk referenced a California transgender high school athlete who “pushed hard” the topic and defeated an 8-foot competitor in a triple jump.
“Then asked me, “Tell me, isn’t that fair?” And I looked at him, I said, “You’re not.” “And it wasn’t an epic design. And I know it hurts a lot of people. But with respect, I don’t agree with the people on the other side of this.”
The governor was referring to the political left. Progressives and supporters of the transgender community within his own party accused him of betraying the groups that supported his political upheaval.
State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said Newsom’s comments were “devastating and depressed” from those who were such allysists of the LGBTQ+ community. Newsom’s critics also accused him of flip-floping. They pointed to previous support for California law signed by former governor Jerry Brown, which allowed trans students to compete in sports and use bathrooms based on gender preferences.
Some Democrats argued that Newsom, who many consider future presidential candidates, strategically abandoned a group of vulnerable people after Donald Trump and Republicans committed the issue of trans-athletes competing in women’s sports during the 2024 election.
Republicans have begun squeezing newspapers in support of state law to prohibit trans athletes from participating in youth and university sports. The governor declined to take a position on the proposal, which will be considered during the legislative committee hearing on Tuesday.
“It’s amazing,” said Bill Essay (R-Corona), a lawmaker on social media site X. “The talk is cheap Gavin Newsom.”
In an interview with The Times, Newsom said, “I’ve been struggling with this for a while.”
He said he and his aides discussed and sought a way to find a balance when transgender athletes competing with women in California became a problem in California amidst the controversy over a San Jose transgender volleyball player last year. He also referenced the situation in 2023 when two trans athletes refused to compete in the athletics competition at Interstate Federal High Schools in 2023 after facing backlash for competing in women’s sports.
“I mean, we’ve been quietly exploring this behind the scenes for several years, and we… couldn’t land,” Newsom said.
The governor touched on that introspection during his podcast with Kirk.
“It’s totally fair on the issue of fairness. I totally agree. So it can easily call the inequity of that,” Newsom told Kirk. “There’s also the humility and grace that these poor people are likely to commit suicide and suffer from anxiety and depression. The way people talk to vulnerable communities is a problem I struggle with, too. So both of what I have in my hands. As you know, I think you’re essential to you, but do you think it’s not always expressed in the question?”
The governor told Kirk he had “stress tested” the issue before commenting on the rarity of NCAA trans athletes.
In an interview with The Times, Newsom pushed back the idea that he could share his perspective during the 2024 election cycle, helping his party navigate unpopular issues with voters. According to the February Pew Research Survey, two-thirds of Americans said they need to compete in teams that match the gender assigned at birth.
“I didn’t have a podcast,” Newsom said. “I wasn’t having that conversation. I was having a big blue conversation in a big blue crowd on the Big Blue Bass campaign trail.”
According to Newsom, parents of his children’s soccer games came to him and shared concerns about trans athletes competing with girls in youth sports. They are often Democrats, he said, good people who celebrate the gay community and are not “transphobic.”
The governor also defended a record of his own support for the transgender community. He pointed to a law that last year that prohibits school districts from requiring teachers to notify parents about gender identity preferences. He also noted that in 2022, Andy Mudrick, the first openly transgender judge in the United States, was appointed to Sacramento County Superior Court.
While some individuals reached out to praise him, Newsom said some of his “most loyal friends” were shocked and reevaluated their support for him.
“I have a solid record of many issues. I have actually begun to believe a little more of the criticism from the right to question people speaking in dishonest words,” Newm said. “I have always thought I was exaggerating how judgement my party is. I will be honest with you. I understand that critique more deeply than I have ever understood.”
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