Geline Salac

University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas

University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas reacts after her team wins the 400 yard freestyle relay during the 2022 Ivy League Womens Swimming and Diving Championships at Blodgett Pool on February 19, 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kathryn Riley/Getty Images/AFP/File

Article (news)

Gavin Newsom

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1741306314641Lia-Thomas.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas reacts after her team wins the 400 yard freestyle relay during the 2022 Ivy League Womens Swimming and Diving Championships at Blodgett Pool on February 19, 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. <em>Kathryn Riley/Getty Images/AFP/File </em></span></span></span>LOS ANGELES - California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed opposition Wednesday to transgender women competing in women&#x27;s sports, becoming the highest profile Democrat to break from the party&#x27;s stance on trans rights.</div><p>The governor discussed the matter, a key Republican talking point, in the first episode of his new podcast featuring popular conservative activist Charlie Kirk.</p><p>&quot;It is an issue of fairness, it&#x27;s deeply unfair,&quot; said Newsom, who is widely believed to be considering a run for president in 2028.</p><p>Noting he was a father of two daughters and a former college baseball player himself, Newsom said: &quot;I revere sports, and so the issue of fairness is completely legit.&quot;</p><p>&quot;But I saw you guys were able to weaponize that issue,&quot; Newsom told Kirk, who took offense to the phrasing, prompting the governor to say &quot;highlight&quot; the issue instead.</p><p>He said that a California law permitting people to compete in sports of their preferred gender had been passed in 2014, before his term, but did not call for it to be repealed.</p><p>Transgender issues were a frequent attack line by Trump in his successful campaign against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, with one of his most frequent television ads centered on the topic.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/6/13/transgender-swimmer-lia-thomas-loses-legal-case-over-ban-1021">Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas loses legal case over ban</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/24/23/transgender-athletes-banned-from-womens-events">Transgender athletes banned from women&#x27;s events</a></div><p>In his first days as president, Trump issued a series of executive orders targeting transgender rights, such as by mandating government recognition of only two sexes, male and female.</p><div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABT92sL5WcKKuv5c"></script></div><p>He has also moved to ban transgender service members from the military and block transgender athletes from competing in women&#x27;s school and university sports.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/2/10/pentagon-halts-trans-enlistment-transition-treatment-for-us-troops-0638">Pentagon halts trans enlistment, transition treatment for US troops</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/2/27/us-to-remove-trans-troops-from-military-unless-they-obtain-waiver-1323">US to remove trans troops from military unless they obtain waiver</a></div><p>Newsom, while affirming the question of fairness, also urged in his podcast for the issue to be discussed with &quot;humility and grace.&quot;</p><p>&quot;You know that 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.&quot;</p><p>A study by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, estimates that there are 1.6 million people over the age of 13 who identify as transgender in the United States.</p><p>bur-rle/des/md</p><p>© Agence France-Presse</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7dTKoN2zgu4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed opposition Wednesday to transgender women competing in women's sports, becoming the highest profile Democrat to break from the party's stance on trans rights.</p>

California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed opposition Wednesday to transgender women competing in women's sports, becoming the highest profile Democrat to break from the party's stance on trans rights.

California's Democratic governor says trans women in sports 'unfair'

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California's Democratic governor says trans women in sports 'unfair'

Agence France-Presse

Published Mar 07, 2025 08:14 AM PHT

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gavin newsom

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