California Gov. Gavin Newsom has taken a surprising stance on transgender athletes in sports, breaking with his party’s traditional position, reported by Politico.

In a 75-minute interview with conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Newsom expressed concerns about fairness in youth sports competitions involving transgender athletes.

“It’s easy to call out,” Newsom said, echoing Republican arguments that banning transgender women and girls from female athletic competitions would ensure fairness. He acknowledged that Democrats are “getting crushed” politically on this issue, agreeing with Kirk’s assessment.

While expressing sympathy for the transgender community, noting their higher rates of suicide and depression, Newsom distanced himself from the use of pronouns and the term “Latinx.”

Attack Ad Destroyed Harris Presidential Bid: Newsom

In Newsom’s assessment, the most politically destructive attack ads of the 2024 presidential were those depicting Kamala Harris’ support for taxpayer-funded gender transition-related medical care for detained immigrants and federal prisoners.

“She didn’t even react to it, which was even more devastating,” Newsom said, suggesting that as many as 90% of Americans disagreed with Harris’ position.

He also criticized police defunding as “lunacy” and denounced “cancel culture.”

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Newsom explained that the authority for transgender K-12 athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports stems from a 2014 state law signed by his predecessor, Jerry Brown.

He compared his position to conservatives who maintain their opposition to same-sex marriage despite its widespread acceptance.

Read more at Politico