Christal Hayes
BBC News, Los Angeles
Getty Images
California Governor Gavin Newsom has broken with many elected Democrats by saying he thinks it is “deeply unfair” to allow transgender women and girls to compete in female sports.
Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender who leads one of the most liberal states in the US and has long been a trailblazer on LGBT rights, made the comments on his new podcast.
“I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that,” Newsom told conservative figure Charlie Kirk. “It is an issue of fairness, it’s deeply unfair. We’ve got to own that. We’ve got to acknowledge it.”
Newsom’s change of tone comes amid a debate within his party over the extent to which cultural factors played a role in their resounding defeat in November, when Republicans won the White House and both chambers of Congress.
A number of Democrats quickly denounced the governor’s comments.
“We woke up profoundly sickened and frustrated by these remarks,” a statement from California’s LGBT legislative caucus read.
On the debut episode of the governor’s podcast, This is Gavin Newsom, his first guest was a pro-Trump activist whose Turning Point USA organisation advocates for conservative ideas on liberal-leaning college campuses.
The two discussed why Democratic nominee Kamala Harris lost to President Donald Trump, and Newsom said his party was being politically “crushed” on transgender issues.
The governor referred to a viral Trump campaign ad that had the tagline: “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you.”
“It was devastating,” Newsom said. “And she didn’t even react to it, which was even more devastating.”
Kirk argued that Democrats were out of touch with everyday Americans because of broad support within the party for transgender athletes competing in sports, which he said was unfair.
“I revere sports,” said Newsom. “So, the issue of fairness is completely legit.”
The governor added: “The way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with, as well.”
Watch: Trump signs executive order banning trans athletes from women’s sports
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called Newsom’s remarks about trans athletes “disgusting”.
Pramila Jayapal, a left-wing Democrat representing a district in the north-western state of Washington, told Politico that her party should not “take the bait and give into their anti-trans people rhetoric”.
But one moderate Democratic lawmaker agreed.
Seth Moulton, of Massachusetts, told Politico that Newsom was correct and polling shows it.
“More and more are willing to say what they’ve probably always thought – and that’s a good thing,” he said.
According to an opinion survey in January by the New York Times/Ipsos, almost all Republicans and nearly seven in 10 Democrats oppose allowing transgender female athletes to participate in women’s sports.
Throughout his career, Newsom has positioned himself to the left of his party on LGBT rights.
He made headlines in 2004 as San Francisco mayor when he ordered the city clerk to issue same-sex marriage licences, which at the time wasn’t allowed under state or federal law.
Newsom made the state the first sanctuary for transgender youth and protected school curriculums that included LBGT history.
Last year he signed legislation that made California the first state to bar school districts from requiring staff to notify parents if their child changed gender identity.
