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New York Post
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
NBA legend Charles Barkley goes scorched earth on transgender athletics debate
Charles Barkley bluntly responded to the 'stupid' supporters of transgender athletes as the NBA legend voiced his concerns on the controversial debate, saying he won't change his mind. 'I'm gonna make this very simple for you, Dan. Men should not play sports against women,' Barkley said on Outkick's 'Don't @ Me' with Dan Dakich Thursday. 'I'm not gonna get into all the bulls–t that's going on out here in the world today.' The 62-year-old Hall of Famer's views come as the sports world continues to debate the polarizing subject. Advertisement 4 Charles Barkley on set of 'Inside the NBA' during a presentation of the sho at City Hall Plaza on Oct. 22, 2024. Boston Globe via Getty Images 'Men should not play sports against women. If anybody thinks that, I think they're stupid,' Barkley continued. 'I support the gay community 100%. I support the transgender community 100%. But I do not, under any circumstances… think that men should play sports against women.' President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February banning biological males from women's sports, putting pressure on schools to comply or face the loss of federal funds. Advertisement A day later, the NCAA changed its gender eligibility policies banning all biological males from women's sports Barkley said his stance wouldn't change regardless of the pressure he faced from the public. 'If anybody has a problem with that, they're gonna have to get over it because I'm not gonna change my [mind]. I just think it's wrong, period,' he added. 'I don't even think that's controversial… I don't wanna hear you try to explain it to me. No, no, no, I don't wanna hear it. I'm not gonna argue with you. Men shouldn't play sports against woman. I'm done,' he said. Advertisement 4 Blaire Fleming #3 of the San Jose State Spartans waits to serve during the first set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym on October 19, 2024 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Getty Images 4 University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas on the starting block for the 200 Freestyle final at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, on March 18, 2022. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Barkley's comments came after Dakich asked the analyst about unfounded reports that sports brand giant Nike had funded a study on transgender children in sports. The rumored research alleged the athletic wear giant donated money to help transgender physicist Joanna Harper study the effects of hormone therapy and puberty blockers on 'trans adolescents.' Advertisement Reports of the study first emerged in a New York Times article highlighting San Jose State's Blaire Fleming, a trans female competing on the women's volleyball team. The story briefly mentioned Harper's work and stated the research was being funded by Nike. 4 Barkley enters Auburn University's Neville Arena before a game against the Oklahoma Sooners on Feb. 4, 2025. Getty Images Barkley said he was unaware of the reports but doubled down, saying children are too young to be exposed to the life-altering drugs. 'I don't even think anybody knows who they are as a young kid. So I think we have to be very careful because you don't want to put kids in a disadvantageous situation, because, hey, when you get older, you can make your own decision,' he said. 'I think we have to be very careful screwing around with kids because they're not fully developed as a person.' The 11-time All-Star also brushed past the notion of a trend in transgender youth because parents don't listen to 'half the s–t our kids say.'
CBS News
26-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Penn says $175 million in federal funding halted by Trump administration jeopardizes lifesaving research
University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson announced on Tuesday that the school has received "stop work orders" on $175 million in federally contracted research, a move he says jeopardizes "lifesaving and life-improving research." Jameson said in an update to the Penn community on the school's website that the university received the orders last week after they learned through news outlets that the Trump administration was going to suspend $175 million in funding over policies allowing Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, to compete in women's sports in 2022. The $175 million in funding includes research on preventing hospital-acquired infections, drug screening against deadly viruses, quantum computing, protections against chemical warfare and student loan programs, according to Jameson. Jameson said Penn is "actively pursuing multiple avenues to understand and address these funding terminations, freezes, and slowdowns." "Federal funding freezes and cancellations jeopardize lifesaving and life-improving research, the loss of which will be felt by society and individuals far beyond our campus for years to come," Jameson wrote in part. "Understandably, we are hearing concerns not only from scientists affected directly, but more broadly from students and young faculty embarking on careers in research." Jameson wrote that Penn and the federal government have a long-standing relationship, and he's hoping that the two can restore trust to continue the research moving forward. Jameson also wrote in the update that the Office of Civil Rights told Penn in February the school was under investigation under the Title IX Education Amendments of 1972, which is the federal statue that prohibits sexual discrimination in intercollegiate athletics. In 2022, Thomas made headlines and drew backlash when she competed for the women's swimming team at Penn. Thomas came in first in the 500-meter freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships and had other top finishes in events at the Ivy League Championships that year. At the time, NCAA regulations allowed for trans women to compete on teams that aligned with their gender identity. President Trump undid those protections in an executive order signed in February, causing the NCAA to change its policy. Jameson wrote that Penn was following NCAA policy while Thomas was on the women's swimming team and that Penn "has never had a transgender student-athlete policy of its own." Mr. Trump graduated from The Wharton School at Penn in 1968, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian student newspaper.
CBS News
19-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Trump administration says it's cutting $175 million in funding to University of Pennsylvania
The Trump administration says it's cutting $175 million in funding to the University of Pennsylvania over policies allowing trans women to compete in women's sports. White House officials wrote in an email to CBS Philadelphia that the funding cut is connected to Lia Thomas, a transgender woman and former Penn swimmer who made headlines and drew backlash when she competed for the women's swimming team. "UPenn infamously permitted a male to compete on its women's swimming team, overturning multiple records hard-earned by women, and granting the fully intact male access to the locker room. This is NOT the result of the Title IX investigation launched by the Department of Education," a senior White House official wrote in the email. Thomas came in first in the 500-meter freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships and had other top finishes in events at the Ivy League Championships that year. Some women swimmers disputed those wins. A lawsuit filed in a Massachusetts federal court seeks to have her records removed from the record books. Separately, the Education Department launched a Title IX investigation into Penn allowing Thomas to compete on the women's swimming team. At the time, NCAA regulations allowed for trans women to compete on teams that aligned with their gender identity. Trump undid those protections in an executive order signed in February. A senior White House official said in an email that the funding is an "immediate proactive action to review discretionary funding streams to those universities." The funding that was paused came from the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. A Penn spokesperson said the Philadelphia-based university is aware of media reports and social media posts about the funding being pulled, but has received no formal notice from the White House. "We are aware of media reports suggesting a suspension of $175 million in federal funding to Penn, but have not yet received any official notification or any details," the spokesperson said in an email. "It is important to note, however, that Penn has always followed NCAA and Ivy League policies regarding student participation on athletic teams. We have been in the past, and remain today, in full compliance with the regulations that apply to not only Penn, but all of our NCAA and Ivy League peer institutions." Wednesday morning, the White House's @RapidResponse47 account shared a clip from Fox Business on X on the news. The White House official said Wednesday's action is separate from an Education Department investigation into Penn over alleged violations of Title IX , a 1972 law barring sex discrimination in education. City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, whose district includes Penn's campus, denounced the decision in a statement. "These funds have nothing to do with transgender student athletes — this is nothing more than a hollow pretext to target our community," Gauthier's statement said in part. "What Trump is really doing is threatening tens of thousands of jobs, our hospitals, lifesaving research projects, educational programs for underserved youth, and so much more." Gauthier added that some prior actions from the Trump administration have not held up to lawsuits and that she is proud that many transgender Philadelphians call her district home. "They make our community stronger and a better place to live. I will always stand with them," Gauthier said. Trump graduated from The Wharton School at Penn in 1968, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian student newspaper.
