{"id":7349,"date":"2026-05-26T11:26:04","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T16:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=7349"},"modified":"2026-05-26T11:26:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T16:26:06","slug":"tom-steyers-believe-boys-should-compete-in-high-school-girls-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=7349","title":{"rendered":"Tom Steyer\u2019s Believe Boys Should Compete in High School Girls’ Sports"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Who Is Tom Steyer and What Is He Running For?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Steyer is a California billionaire and Democratic candidate running to replace outgoing California Governor Gavin Newsom as the state\u2019s next governor. Steyer is part of a crowded Democratic field competing to keep control of the governorship after Newsom\u2019s term expires. Other candidates mentioned in the race include Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, and Tony Thurmond. Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco are running on an opposing platform that supports overturning laws enabling transgender participation in girls\u2019 sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the campaign intensifies, Steyer has become one of the most outspoken Democratic voices defending the participation of transgender athletes in girls\u2019 high school sports. For critics, however, the position raises a question that feels increasingly impossible to ignore: if biological males are free to compete in girls\u2019 athletics, what exactly remains of the purpose of women\u2019s sports?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steyer\u2019s Position: \u201cI\u2019m Totally in Favor\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steyer\u2019s position is not subtle. During an appearance on the \u201cI\u2019ve Had It\u201d podcast, he stated plainly, \u201cI\u2019m totally in favor of trans athletes in high school.\u201d He framed the issue around emotional well-being and vulnerability, arguing that transgender youth face extraordinary mental and emotional struggles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steyer explained:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cWhen you understand the vulnerability, the stress, the danger of being a trans kid and you understand almost half of them try to commit suicide\u2026 we\u2019re gonna punish those kids, we\u2019re gonna cut them off from team sport. It\u2019s like, no we\u2019re not.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Steyer also dismissed opposition to transgender participation in girls\u2019 sports as politically motivated, calling it \u201ca right-wing attempt\u201d to victimize transgender individuals. He argued that the issue has been exaggerated and insisted, \u201cThis is not some huge epidemic.\u201d Instead, he described transgender youth as vulnerable people deserving protection and inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On social media, Steyer reinforced the broader philosophy behind his position, writing: \u201cTrans people deserve to have a life where they feel accepted and valued. That\u2019s why days like today, Trans Day of Visibility, are more important than ever.\u201d He added, \u201cWe have a government that wants to hurt the LGBTQ community, and if we don\u2019t stand up for our people, they win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Fairness Question Democrats Keep Running Into<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The controversy surrounding Steyer\u2019s comments is not merely about compassion or inclusion. Critics argue it is about fairness, opportunity, and the very reason women\u2019s sports exist in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girls\u2019 and women\u2019s sports were created precisely because biological differences matter in athletic competition. The purpose was to give female athletes a fair chance to compete, excel, and earn recognition on a level playing field. For decades, opportunities for girls expanded through school athletics, creating scholarship opportunities, personal development, and pathways to college and careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Critics of Steyer\u2019s position argue that allowing biological males into girls\u2019 sports undermines those gains. If biological differences no longer matter, they ask, why separate sports by sex at all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concern becomes especially serious at the high school level, where athletic performance can influence scholarships and admissions opportunities. In competitive sports, fractions of seconds, inches, or slightly greater strength can determine who makes a varsity roster, who earns a medal, or who catches the attention of college recruiters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even some Democrats in California\u2019s gubernatorial race appeared uncomfortable fully embracing Steyer\u2019s framing. Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa dismissed the controversy as a \u201cnon-issue\u201d but still stated his personal belief that biological males who have gone through puberty should not compete in women\u2019s sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan also acknowledged concerns about fairness. While criticizing people who use the issue as a political weapon, he admitted that if a biological male competed against his daughter in soccer, \u201cI can imagine it being unfair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those comments reveal a political tension Democrats increasingly face. On one hand, many leaders want to emphasize compassion, inclusion, and protection for vulnerable people. On the other hand, many Americans instinctively see athletic competition as a question of fairness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Benefits and Who Pays the Price?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For critics, one of the harshest realities is this: the boys most likely to compete in girls\u2019 sports are often not elite male athletes capable of dominating boys\u2019 competition. Instead, opponents argue, the system risks creating incentives where athletes who cannot excel against other boys suddenly gain competitive advantages in girls\u2019 divisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That argument is particularly emotional for families of female athletes who train for years hoping to win roster spots, championships, or scholarships. A lost starting position or missed podium finish is not merely symbolic. It can affect real opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To those critics, Steyer\u2019s comments sound like a complete reversal of the original purpose of girls\u2019 sports. The concern is not simply inclusion. It is whether inclusion for one group comes at the expense of fairness for another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, Steyer and his allies argue that excluding transgender students from athletics inflicts emotional harm and social isolation on young people already facing serious struggles. From their perspective, participation is about belonging, dignity, and protecting vulnerable teenagers from rejection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Political Litmus Test With Real Consequences<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What makes Steyer\u2019s remarks politically explosive is that they touch one of the most emotionally charged issues in modern politics: the conflict between inclusion and competitive fairness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even among Democrats, responses vary widely. Some, like Katie Porter, emphasized youth sports as places to build teamwork and character rather than simply determine winners and losers. Others stressed fairness concerns while still opposing discrimination. Meanwhile, Republican candidates Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco openly support reversing laws that allow transgender participation in girls\u2019 sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For critics, however, the issue comes down to a blunt question: if society decides biological sex no longer matters in athletic competition, what meaningful distinction remains between girls\u2019 sports and open competition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steyer clearly believes compassion and inclusion should come first – fairness for girls should take a back seat. This clash is no longer theoretical. In California\u2019s governor race, it is now front and center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who Is Tom Steyer and What Is He Running For? Tom Steyer is a California billionaire and Democratic candidate running to replace outgoing California Governor Gavin Newsom as the state\u2019s next governor. Steyer is part of a crowded Democratic field competing to keep control of the governorship after Newsom\u2019s term expires. Other candidates mentioned in the race include Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, and Tony Thurmond. Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco are running on an opposing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,21,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-democrats","category-threat-to-america","category-woke-agenda"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/styersdfghsd.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7349"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7349\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7351,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7349\/revisions\/7351"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/7350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}