Last week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom released the first episode of his podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom.” Newsom elected to have conservative media personality Charlie Kirk as his first guest, a surprising decision given Kirk’s controversial views of supporting Christian nationalism and criticizing the “LGBTQ agenda,” compared to Newsom’s liberal background. Even more surprising, Newsom and Kirk found common ground on several issues and each time, Newsom seemed to align with the conservative viewpoint. Newsom expressed disdain for increased awareness of pronouns, use of the term “Latinx,” and praised Trump’s “Kamala is for they/them. I am for you.” commercial.
The most discussed moment came when the pair discussed transgender participation in sports. Newsom, a longtime champion of LGBTQ+ rights, once again sided with Kirk: “I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that…It’s deeply unfair.” He did acknowledge the danger of “people talking [ing] down to vulnerable communities” and the need to address the topic with decency, but the damage was done.
Leaders of California’s LGBTQ+ legislative caucus said they were “profoundly sickened and frustrated.” Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, said Newsom’s statements “added to the heartbreak and fear” of the transgender community, and openly gay San Francisco Senator Scott Wiener called it a “gut punch…because he has been such a staunch ally for the LGBTQ community.” Newsom, a prominent candidate to represent the Democratic Party in the 2028 presidential election, is now at odds with a community that previously stood behind him.
Despite the strong backlash received from the LGBTQ+ community, Democratic politicians have been strangely quiet. Senators Andy Kim, Elissa Slotkin, and Adam Schiff all expressed their belief that the communities themselves should be making these decisions when presented with Newsom’s comments, notably failing to explicitly disagree. Democrats recently blocked the proposed “Protection of Women and Girls and Sports Act,” which would have forced federally funded schools to require athletes to participate based on their sex assigned at birth. Democrats criticized the bill for distracting from larger issues and overreaching into local schools, but once again no one addressed the root of the discussion. This begs the question: do Democrats actually support transgender participation in sports?
According to a New York Times/Ipsos poll conducted in January, 67 percent of Democrats do not support transgender female athletes competing in women’s sports, even higher than the 64 percent of Independents sharing the same view. As recently as 2021, 55 percent of Democrats did support transgender athletes participating based on their identities, however, this figure dropped to 47 percent by 2023. With this in mind, the Democratic Party’s stance on the issue carries significant weight and the time has come to decide. Will they renew their commitment to upholding LGBTQ+ rights when they are increasingly under threat, or burn the same bridges Newsom did? Will they appeal to a minority of their base or stir controversy and take a more moderate stance?
In some ways, this decision represents the path forward for the party more generally. Backing transgender athletes’ participation would pick up where Kamala Harris left off. Her unwavering support for LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive freedom, and pledge to support Ukraine made Harris a champion of some of the most important issues for liberal voters. As of 2023, 54 percent of Democrats identified as liberal and that figure has only risen in recent decades. Moreover, over 80 percent of LGBTQ+ individuals voted for Democratic candidates and 53 percent said they would oppose a candidate who spoke frequently against transgender participation in sports. By continuing the pro-LGBTQ+ standard previously set, Democrats could earn the trust of a significant portion of their base and reassure voters that they are the party of transgender rights.
On the other hand, the Democrats could proceed down a more moderate path and in the process, attempt to appeal to independents and moderates on both sides of the spectrum. When taking Newsom’s side of the debate back in November, Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton said, “Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face.” Newsom’s podcast can give us a rough idea of what this “brutally honest” might look like. Certainly more controversial from a liberal standpoint, but in all likelihood his remarks won him favor with some of the 67 percent of Democrats and possibly some of the 94 percent of Republicans who agree with him. This approach could see some liberal and LGBTQ+ voters walk out on the party, but the potential gains could make a more moderate strategy worth it.
Continuing to avoid taking a stance would be a missed opportunity for Democrats to define their party’s beliefs and either cement or shuffle their voter base. Deflecting the question does little to inspire further support from the left and even less to appeal to other voters. Newsom’s comments and the subsequent passivity have created a crossroads for the Democrats. Now it’s time to decide.
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