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, … [+] 2025. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
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 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.”
When prompted by Kirk on his use of “weaponize” to describe the GOP’s opposition to trans women competing in women’s sports, Newsom conceded “highlight” was a better verb—one of several displays of solidarity between the two, including when Newsom touted Kirk for “making a damn dent” in the political sphere with his “success” and “influence.”
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.”
Tangent
Republicans have made their push to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports a key component of their political platform in recent years. Trump signed an executive order shortly after taking office declaring that Title IX, the federal law banning sex-discrimination in schools, should be interpreted to include a ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports at federally funded schools. The GOP-controlled House also passed legislation in January that would prohibit federally funded schools from allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports, but Democrats blocked the legislation in the Senate earlier this week, preventing it from reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to break the filibuster.
Big Number
69%. That’s the share of Americans in a May 2023 Gallup poll who said competitive athletes should only be allowed to play on teams that match their birth gender, a seven-point increase from Gallup’s May 2021 poll.
Key Background
Newsom is widely considered to be a top contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 and was among the list of potential replacements for Joe Biden. He served as a surrogate for Harris’ 2024 campaign and has repeatedly sparred with Trump, who often refers to the governor as “Newscum.” Elected governor in 2018, Newsom is term-limited through the end of 2026. Prior to serving as governor, Newsom was lieutenant governor after serving as mayor of San Francisco from 2004-2011. In his first year in office, he instructed cities to issue same-sex marriage licenses, defying federal law and some leaders of his own party.
Further Reading
Here’s Why Many Believe Gavin Newsom Is Running For President—Even As He Denies It (Forbes)
Trump Slams Gavin Newsom For Wildfires—Falsely Claiming He Rejected ‘Water Restoration Declaration’ (Forbes)
‘Ban On Book Bans’: Gavin Newsom Signs Bill Blocking School Book Bans In California (Forbes)