Newsom calls biological men in women's sports 'deeply unfair' in podcast with conservative activist
California Gov. Gavin Newsom found common ground with Turning Point USA founder and conservative activist Charlie Kirk when the liberal governor – who has been rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run – agreed that biological men in women's sports is "deeply unfair."
"The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen," Kirk said on Newsom's debut episode on his new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," on Thursday. "You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?"
"Well, I think it's an issue of fairness," Newsom replied. "I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair."
Kirk further pressed Newsom on whether he would condemn the recent victory of a transgender track athlete with a more than 40-foot jump at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California. Newsom didn't directly address the win, but said "it's a fairness issue."
"So that's easy to call out the unfairness of that," Newsom, the Democratic Party's torchbearer, said. "There's also a humility and a grace… these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well."
"So both things I can hold in my hand," the governor continued. "How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?"
Transgender athletes in California have long been protected prior to Newsom's administration under AB 1266, also known as the School Success and Opportunity Act. The law was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in August 2013.
However, Senate Bill 132, also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, allows inmates to request cells and searches that align with their gender identity, which Newsom signed in September 2020.
Newsom agreed that trans issues are something his party is "getting crushed on," which Kirk said he should express "compassion" about while calling out cases like the recent incident in Jurupa Valley High School as "not fair." The portion of the conversation came up after Kirk told Newsom to "get better ideas" if Democrats want to make a comeback among the younger generation.
The student, AB Hernandez, won an invitational meet on Feb. 22, booting out a female runner-up who had jumped just over 32 feet in their competition category. Hernandez also took first place in two other events at the meet.
The wins come as all Senate Democrats voted against a bill that would ban transgender women from women's sports nationwide last month. The bill failed to meet the 60-vote threshold needed in the upper chamber, with lawmakers voting along party lines 51-45.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" in February, which said transgender athletes in women sports is "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls." The order requires institutions receiving federal funding to abide by Title IX and follow the definitions of biological sex.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
30 minutes ago
- Fox News
Booker, Cruz spar over threats to US judges in fiery Senate spat
Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas., sparred Tuesday over the uptick in threats made to federal court judges during President Donald Trump's second term. Their heated standoff comes as federal judges have issued a record number of injunctions against the flurry of executive actions by the president. The testy exchange took place during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing titled "The Supposedly Least Dangerous Branch: District Judges v. Trump." Cruz, the subcommittee chair, used his remarks at the outset of the hearing to take aim at Democrats on the subcommittee, who he said were "utterly silent" about judicial threats under the Biden administration, including after threats were made against conservative Supreme Court justices. Cruz took aim at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for "unleashing" protesters who gathered outside the homes of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh prior to their decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization – the landmark ruling that overturned a 50-year-old abortion rights precedent – which he later said was ironic given the current "pearl-clutching" stance of Democrats on the panel. His remarks sparked a quick rebuke from Booker, who said, "Something you said is actually dangerous, and it needs to be addressed." "This implication that there was silence [from Democrats on the panel] at a time there were threats on people's houses is absolutely absurd," he continued. "I remember the rhetoric and the comments, the concern from [Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.]," Booker said. "I actually distinctly remember you, chairman, on more than one occasion, condemning those attacks on Republican-appointed jurists." "To say things like that just feeds the partisanship in this institution, and it feeds the fiery rhetoric. And it's just plain not true," Booker added. In response, Cruz argued the "angry mobs" that appeared outside the homes of conservative Supreme Court justices prior to their decision in Dobbs were in violation of U.S.C. Section 1507. That law prohibits picketing outside the homes of judges or justices' homes in a way that could influence their decision or otherwise obstruct justice. Despite the protests, Cruz said, the Biden-led Justice Department "prosecuted nobody." "I really appreciate that you have now shifted the accusation you made earlier," Booker shot back. "Your accusation was that we were silent in the face of protests at Supreme Court justices' homes. Again, we joined together in a bipartisan way, not only to condemn that but to pass legislation to extend round-the-clock security protection. So if you're saying we didn't criticize –" he started before Cruz interjected. "Did the Biden DOJ go out and arrest a single person under this law?" the Texas lawmaker asked. Booker attempted to respond before Cruz interrupted again, "Did the Biden DOJ arrest even one [person]? Again, the answer is no." Booker attempted once more to respond before Cruz interrupted again, prompting Booker to raise his voice. "I did not interrupt you, sir, I would appreciate it if you would let me finish," he told Cruz. "I am sick and tired of hearing the kind of heated partisan rhetoric, which is one of the reasons why we have such divisions in this country," Booker continued, prompting Cruz to laugh openly in response. "The attacks we see from the president of the United States of America, trolling and dragging judges through is what we should be talking about," Booker said. "I'm simply taking issue with the claim that you made at the top, that people on the Democratic side of the aisle do not care about the safety and the security of judges and said nothing," he continued, adding that the notion that his Democrat colleagues said nothing in the face of Supreme Court justice threats "is a patent lie." The two continued arguing before Cruz said, "Let the record reflect that Spartacus did not answer the question and did not tell us whether the criminal law" under U.S.C. Section 1507 should be enforced, "because he knows the answer is yes." The hearing comes as the number of threats against federal judges has spiked during Trump's second term, which has seen hundreds of federal lawsuits filed in courts across the country seeking to either pause or halt the flurry of sweeping executive orders and actions taken by the president. Trump has repeatedly criticized what he called "activist judges," prompting Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to issue a rare public warning. The U.S. Marshals Service said last week that it has investigated more than 370 threats against federal judges since Trump's inauguration in January, which is a sharp rise from 2024, when 509 people were investigated during the entire year. Democrats on the panel used Tuesday's hearing to renew requests for the Justice Department and FBI to investigate an uptick in anonymous "pizza deliveries" sent to federal judges, which can be used as a threat or warning to let judges know their home address is known.
Wall Street Journal
33 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Why Democrats Are Losing Minority Voters
Liberals seldom turn to this column for political advice. They do, however, seem to trust the New York Times, so maybe they caught the Gray Lady's recent analysis of why the Democratic Party is in the demographic dumps. Leftists such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounce Republicans as 'oligarchs,' yet millions of blue-collar voters flocking to the GOP remain unpersuaded. Liberals are in denial about these trends, but the reality, according to the Times, is that 'Republicans are overwhelmingly making gains in working-class counties,' while 'Democrats are improving almost exclusively in wealthier areas.'
New York Post
33 minutes ago
- New York Post
Gov. Kathy Hochul's No. 2 pushed to resign after he announces he wants her job: ‘Shouldn't be on the payroll'
ALBANY – Et tu, Antonio? Some establishment Democrats called for Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado to resign Tuesday – one day after he announced he'd run in a party primary against Gov. Kathy Hochul. 'He shouldn't be on the payroll of the employer he opposes,' Queens Borough President Donovan Richards told The Post. Advertisement 'Hochul has been very good for Queens. Whatever we've asked for, she has delivered,' Richards, who has been rumored as a potential new LG pick himself, said. Hochul handpicked Delgado to be her No. 2 in 2022, but it's long been expected he'd throw his hat in the ring to try to unseat her in the 2026 election. 3 Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado will not step down even as he campaigns to unseat his boss, per a spokesperson. Hans Pennink Advertisement 'I call for the ungrateful Mr. Delgado to IMMEDIATELY RESIGN as Lieutenant Governor,' Assemblywoman Yudelka Tapia (D-Bronx) wrote on X Monday night with an endorsement of the governor. Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) praised Hochul and pushed back against the idea of a primary in comments to POLITICO though he stopped short of calling for Delgago to step aside. 'Governor Hochul has been a strong partner working with me on behalf of all New Yorkers,' Heastie said. 'We need to be united.' A spokesperson for Delgado stamped out any speculation the lieutenant governor will relinquish his title and $210,000 per year paycheck, which are effectively all the perks of the office Hochul has left him with. Advertisement 'When someone challenges the status quo, the establishment pushes back — we expected that. But Antonio Delgado isn't running to win over insiders,' said Steven Ileka, Delgado's press secretary. 'He's running to fight for everyday New Yorkers, not the powerful few.' 3 Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie is backing Gov. Kathy Hochul and calling for Dems to be united after Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado officially entered the Governor's race Monday. Hans Pennink Delgado also faced calls to turn down the temperature within the party ranks even if he stays put. 'I respect the will of the voters, so I'm not calling on Delgado to resign—but he needs to chill and stop stirring infighting,' Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn (D-Brooklyn), who also chairs the Brooklyn Democratic Committee, told The Post in a statement. Advertisement 'Governor Kathy Hochul is a respected and popular Democratic incumbent with a strong track record and bold leadership on the issues that matter—affordability, public safety, education, immigration, and more,' Bichotte Hermelyn added. 3 'The powerful and well-connected have their champions. I'm running for Governor to be yours,' Delgado said in a video announcing his candidacy. Kevin C. Downs for NY Post Delgado's infant campaign has already taken an approach of attacking Hochul and her growing crew in the capital. 'The powerful and well-connected have their champions. I'm running for Governor to be yours,' Delgado said in a video announcing his candidacy. On his campaign website, the LG rips Hochul for vetoing two bills that would help expand childcare access and promises to deliver state-funded universal childcare. He also calls for 'universal healthcare' and expanding New York's public option. Hochul's campaign declined to comment.
