LGBTQ+ Groups Respond to Gavin Newsom Statement on Trans Athletes
LGBTQ+ Groups Respond to Gavin Newsom Statement on Trans Athletes
We are deeply disappointed in Governor Gavin Newsom’s statement that transgender athletes present a “fairness” issue in sports.
Transgender athletes enjoy no unfair advantage in sports. Research has instead found that female athletes who have been on hormone replacement therapy for a year or more—the primary target of transphobic comments made by alt-right figures like Governor Newsom’s podcast guest Charlie Kirk—perform equal or worse than cis women on a range of measurements linked to athletic function including lung function, bone density, and hemoglobin profile. The reality is that transgender athletes face deeply unfair conditions.
Transgender athletes are among the most targeted individuals in the nation, with state legislatures passing laws aimed at a small number of people who simply want to play sports. Those who do participate often endure relentless harassment, including threats and scorn from fans who use sports as an outlet for their hatred—behavior that would not be tolerated against any other players, including right here in California.
Major sports organizations, including the NCAA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), have established guidelines requiring transgender athletes to meet specific hormone levels to compete in women’s categories. Elite sports already accommodate natural physiological differences among cisgender athletes, such as height, lung capacity, and fast-twitch muscle fibers. The targeting of transgender athletes not only reinforces discrimination but also endangers all players by exposing children to invasive scrutiny about their bodies and identities. Transgender athletes should not be singled out.
If the Governor is truly concerned about fairness in youth sports, we encourage him to address real issues—such as the widespread lack of funding, attention, and respect that girls’ sports teams receive—instead of amplifying baseless transphobic rhetoric. Rather than parroting Republicans’ bigoted talking points, we urge the Governor to engage with experts and research the issue thoroughly.
Sports teach the value of teamwork, effort, and persistence. They teach people how to win and lose with dignity and to stand up for their teammates. No one should be excluded from the opportunity to play.
We call on Governor Newsom to stand up for the civil rights of transgender Californians.
Signed By
Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club
Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club