Gavin Newsom admits to Charlie Kirk that trans women playing in women's sports is "deeply unfair." (Screenshot/This is Gavin Newsom)
While protections for transgender athletes were signed under previous Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013, Newsom has carried that torch since taking office in 2019 and passed several pieces of legislation codifying certain protections for transgender people and procedures in the state.
"And he's going to try to sell himself to Democrats across the country in less liberal states that he is someone who can lead their party, and he's someone who's moderate, and he's going to hope that people like me and people who are frustrated in California aren't going to get our facts out about how he has governed this state," Hamill said.
In 2020, Newsom signed legislation allowing transgender prison inmates to be housed in facilities that align with their gender identity, instead of their biological sex. The law also requires inmates to be addressed by their preferred pronouns and searches conducted by individuals matching the inmates' gender identity.
In September 2022, California became the first state to declare itself a sanctuary for transgender youth, offering legal protections to out-of-state minors seeking surgical and hormonal treatments.
After launching several lawsuits against California school districts who were pushing back against notification policies that hid students' gender identities from parents, Newsom signed a law last year prohibiting school staff from being mandated to inform parents about a student’s transgender status.
GAVIN NEWSOM ASKS CHARLIE KIRK TO GIVE HIS PARTY 'ADVICE' IN ONE-ON-ONE PODCAST INTERVIEW
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been a reliable national campaign surrogate for other Democrats and is considered a potential 2028 Democratic presidential hopeful himself. (Chris duMond/Shutterstock)
Newsom told conservative activist and TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk in the debut episode of his new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," that he agrees biological males in sports is "deeply unfair" last week. His comments set off outrage among his LGBTQ supporters and progressive flank.
Kirk asked Newsom, "You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?"
"Well, I think it's an issue of fairness," Newsom replied. "I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair."
Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" in February, which said transgender athletes in women's sports is "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls." The order requires institutions receiving federal funding to abide by Title IX and follow the definitions of biological sex.
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A day later the NCAA, which oversees college sports, instituted a ban. And more than two dozen states now prevent transgender athletes from school sports.
Newsom noted he has four children, including two daughters, and highlighted that both he and his wife played college-level sports.
"I revere sports, so the issue of fairness is completely legit," Newsom said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Newsom's office for comment.
Jamie Joseph is a U.S. Politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering transgender and culture issues, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, and stateside legislative developments.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/newsoms-unfair-remark-girls-sports-belies-record-governor-absolute-bulls