March 7, 2025 - 11:55am
California Governor Gavin Newsom has this week attracted attention for a rather unexpected change of heart: it seems that he is now aligning with common sense. Despite his demanding day job, the Democrat has managed to find time to launch a second podcast. While none of his constituents asked for it, his latest endeavour, This is Gavin Newsom, aims to âchange the conversationâ by engaging directly with individuals whose political views differ from his own.
In the inaugural episode with Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, Newsom deviated from the prevailing view in the Democratic Party. The longtime champion of the LGBTQ+ cause admitted that the participation of transgender athletes in girlsâ and womenâs sports is âdeeply unfairâ.
Kirk referenced a controversial case in California last month, where a trans high school student won a girlsâ triple jump event. He urged Newsom to take a definitive stand: âGet better ideas, Governor. You should come out and state that the young man who is about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports â that should not happen. You, as the Governor, should step forward and say, âNo.ââ Newsom responded: âI think itâs an issue of fairness; I completely agree with you on that. Itâs deeply unfair.â
As a likely contender for his party’s 2028 presidential nomination, the California politician is the most prominent Democrat so far to openly question or oppose the inclusion of transgender athletes in womenâs and girlsâ sport. His comments have come as a surprise to many Democrats, as he has traditionally been on the Left of the party. He first gained national attention in 2004 when, as mayor of San Francisco, he issued same-sex marriage licenses in defiance of state law. As Governor in 2022, Newsom signed legislation making California a sanctuary state for youth gender-affirming healthcare and a refuge for children from other states seeking to undergo transition procedures.
Newsom appears to acknowledge the challenges currently facing his party, which suffers from a lack of clear leadership or a cohesive vision. The dominance of far-Left ideologies within the leadership have led to significant losses among key voting blocs, including men, the working class, and minorities. This pivot towards a more âmoderateâ stance may be a strategic move to advance his longstanding presidential ambitions.
The Governor admitted that the trans issue has been a particular sore spot on the Left, as progressive opinion has become more removed from that of the average voter. A recent Ipsos poll conducted for the New York Times revealed that nearly 80% of Americans oppose the participation of transgender-identifying males in womenâs sports. Unsurprisingly, Newsomâs comments quickly invited opprobrium from those on his own side. The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus issued a statement yesterday, saying it was âprofoundly sickenedâ by the âanti-transgenderâ remarks.
But losing support among the fringes of his own party may be a risk that Newsom is willing to take. He is term-limited and will depart office in 2026, leaving him with a two-year gap before any potential presidential run. This period may present a challenge for maintaining political relevance, and he no doubt views this podcast as a means to bridge that gap. By turning his back on his past progressive zeal, Newsom may be seeking to distinguish himself from the current frontrunner to succeed him in California, former vice president Kamala Harris. Both have similar political backgrounds, emerging from San Francisco, and â until now â both have prided themselves on their sympathy for intersectional politics. The Democrats, following a historic November defeat in which they lost all seven swing states, will be doubting the electoral viability of Californian progressivism. Newsom, by distancing himself from this, suddenly becomes the partyâs centre-left standard-bearer against Trumpism.
On bread-and-butter issues, the Governor of California has the executive authority to prevent boys from competing in girlsâ sports. Actions speak louder than podcasts, and it remains unclear whether Newsom will translate his remarks into meaningful policy changes. Yet, if his sole mission is to stay relevant and stir up controversy, he certainly seems to be succeeding.
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SubscribeTurns out, Newsom believes in nothing other than power. Iâm shocked I tell ya.
PS: Drop the American Psycho look while youâre at it.
I believe the look is genetic
Itâs the hair
And a face you could never tire of punching
Haha. Great comment. I wonder what the unedited one was.
It’s ironic when his belief in ‘nothing other than power’ results in blackouts due to a lack of wind and sun.
I see what you did there đ
“Both have similar political backgrounds, emerging from San Francisco, and â until now â both have prided themselves on their sympathy for intersectional politics.”
So which elderly politician did Newson shag to get his first break? Surely not big Willie Brown too.
Note that Newsome did not say, “Boys competing against girls is deeply unfair”, much less, “Men cannot become women”. We can be sure that what he meant by his comment was, “It’s unfair for a man who has not yet taken enough chemicals to compete against women”. He’s used careful between-two-stools wording, which can only hide him for so long.
The whole argument is deeply confused and people who think of themselves as right wing conservatives on this issue are actually just fighting to preserve the radical leftism of their youth.
Men competing against women in sports, games or any other level playing field is of course incredibly fair. They play by the same rules, and are judged by the same criteria. Doesn’t get fairer than that. We should hope one day to see this kind of fairness restored to other contexts too, like the law courts or business.
The idea it’s “unfair” is classic 70s-era feminist leftism and comes from the combination of two beliefs: one, that women are generally unable to beat men even at non-physical games like chess, so much so that even quite unremarkable men will easily beat every single woman in the world in fair competition. But you’re not allowed to say that out loud. The other is a sort of participation trophy viewpoint in which women as an identity group deserve to be able to pseudo-win in competitions that they’d actually lose.
The logic the feminists use here is the same logic used to kick men out of jobs, corporate boards and to implement two-tier justice in the British courts. It’s not different. You can’t be pro-feminist in the question of trans in sports and against the Sentencing Commission demanding that white men are treated more harshly, it’s exactly the same thing.
There’s really no need for this to be hard or contentious in any way. Just get rid of all gender-specific leagues. Men, women, trans, intersex, whoever, can then all compete fairly against each other and for the feminists nothing stops them celebrating whichever woman placed 61st or whatever (where woman is defined however they like).
You think? These issues probably have a lot of impact for anyone who has to deal with it in their personal lives. Truth is, for 99.9% of the population that is not the case. So then it seems to me that it is simply a distraction from issues the donor class does not want you to talk about, whether you approach the issue from the left or right.
All women have to deal w the implications of men who identify as women & expect to be treated as literal women because of this entering our sports, workplaces & social groups. I’m not anti-trans & there are many situations where this is not an issue, but there are also situations where it is. Women are most of the population.
You sound just like the UK Labour Party talking about the r@pe gangs that have destroyed the lives of literally tens of thousands of young women on their watch.
Suppose I say to you 2+2=5, all the experts agree and you must too or else you are an evil bigot. So repeat it now ‘2+2=5’ or suffer the consequences.
Would you be upset? Maybe, but then you are a full human with feelings unlike the underclass of deplorables who who sweep the streets and deliver your food. They are almost mechanical beings who are only interested in the price of eggs, right?
Maybe if you can fix the price of eggs then it will be OK again?
you are right , the trans issue is nothing to do with trans people.
They are being used a tool to change language, compel speech and thought, to change truth.Inflation is good, BLM burning down cities that’s good, it sparks regeneration
I don’t think for 1 second any of these people care 1 bit about Trans people and they will be dropped the second it’s best
This is about cementing power, and hate to ref 1984, you need to change reality , if you can convince people of an absurdity , through fear or low information , you can convince them of anything
I’ve known many Transwomen in my life , 1 they are not women, 2 the majority don’t think they are
the end result of this, increased hostility to them because of insane Trans activists and then they will have nothing because the Dems, Labour doesnt care about them, like they don’t care about Black people, Women, Workers , anyone
It’s very simple when you understand they only care for themselves, everything else is distraction
“The Governor admitted that the trans issue has been a particular sore spot on the Left, as progressive opinion has become more removed from that of the average voter.”
Replace the last five words with one – reality.
California has become a very poorly run state. Things such as t**d strewn sidewalks, rampant crime, and an inability to douse wildfires are clear evidence of very, very poor governance, as are billions spent on an essentially non-operative monorail.
His nomination would cause the Republicans to break out the bunting, as he’s the perfect representative of the progressive left’s incompetence.
don’t attribute malice to incompetence. A lot of people, esp Newsom friends are getting very rich from the destruction of California.it’s an intentional wealth grab
People with gender dysphoria have a disorder. This is quite clear when one considers the medical consequences of actual transition.They do not lack civil rights, unlike gay people in the past, and a disorder does not entitle them to special rights especially where such rights conflict with those of other groups. There is no such thing as a “trans kid”, just youngsters who need protection from trans activists while most of them figure out that they’re gay, which is fine and healthy. The suicide rate is not exceptional given comorbidities for the age cohort, such as autism, anorexia and history of trauma. Let’s hope Newsom rides out the storm and helps the younger generation reset their attitudes to this mess. It’s time we understood that gender identity is a non-thing invented by academics to further their careers. Judith Butler can have an anti-fascist meltdown, but who cares?
If the front runner is still the cackling and utterly vacuous word salad vendor, then the dems are lost for a generation. The sheer number of flips and 180âs will be fun to watch in a couple of years. Letâs hope a few of us remember.
I would love to share your optimism, but it’s crazy how much can change in four years. If this guy slowly retools himself as a every man moderate type, combined with the ability to actually debate unlike that abomination Harris, things could get pretty close. It’s amazing how short our collective memories can be. I’m not scared of Newsom, but I still feel like he would be a formidable opponent despite all his bullshit.
there’s no way they run her again, i expect her to be serving fries by the years end
The Dems stance on the trans issue reminds me of one of Jordan Peterson’s observations that the Left has no sensible limits. There is no unacceptable fringe. If Left is good than farther Left is better. Conversely, there are far Right fringe views that would get you quickly tossed from any serious conservative gathering.
Now the Dems are stuck defending ‘the world is flat’ progressive nonsense that appeals to an infinitesimal minority while alienating the majority, not to mention putting women and girls at risk. They could have turned off the road to Crazy Town by supporting Trump’s ban on boys crushing girls but their TDS wouldn’t allow it.
Love Peterson! Very wise man.
Newsom just wants to distract from the tens of billions his machine pilfered on “homeless”, high speed rail, “green”and “climate” scams. And of course the fires…
100%. I live in a suburb of LA and it’s unbelievable how often millions of dollars just vanish into thin air. We need DOGE in California.
Newsom doesn’t believe that woke is a ‘good look’ any more, or a viable path to power.
At least this means that woke is almost certainly now dead
âThose are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others.â
If youâre a politician you have to know which way the wind is blowing. Beliefs? Do they actually have any?
Like Vance, heâs seen which way the wind is blowing and has completely changed course as a result. Itâs entirely shameless but theyâre not the first to do it and they certainly wonât be the last
he will say what he thinks will get him the Oval Office
Of course he has the problem of California becoming a failed state under his watch
He might get middle aged white women with a drinking problem, but he has zero appeal to the general masses.
His views on Net Zero, Immigration are all vote losers
Newson is a disgusting example of politicians who have zero morality; able to change their stance on any subject at the drop of a hat in order to attain and retain power. How come electorates are so stupid that they vote these monsters into power? Perhaps such ‘leaders’ are merely a reflection of ourselves!
The attempt at establishing a new nomenclature for transgender women as so-called “transgender-identifying males” is unfortunate for a piece like this that is nonetheless making strong arguments about the reasonableness of the evolution of the debate about the presence of transgender women competing in women’s sports. Sneaking in your belief that being transgender is merely some identity tag on your fundamental constitution as a member of your biological sex does really very little to support your arguments, which you could more effectively make by simply using the more widely understood term of “transgender women.”
It is perfectly reasonable to hold the view that transgender women should not compete in women’s sports while simultaneously acknowledging that they are indeed women and not men “identifying” as transgender. The fact of the unfair advantage which their biological sex gives them in sports is able to survive perfectly well while simultaneously acknowledging that transgender people are members of the gender to which they transitioned, whether or not it is fair for them to compete in those sports.
In fact, the argument is made stronger as such, since, in that case, you don’t sound like you are purposely trying to throw rhetorical chum to your own side of the debate by using nomenclature that is, at best, inaccurate and, at worst, deeply offensive to transgender people.
If you want to write a piece about why transgender people are actually lying to themselves and to the world because there is no such thing as trans, then, by all means, write that piece and make your claim and let us debate that claim.
But you don’t need to write that piece if the only case you want to make is the soundness of a politician’s political 180 around a hot-button issue like transgender women in women’s sports. No need for distracting political rhetoric in that case.
Newsomâs problem is that heâs been an abject failure as a governor of California. Citizens and industry are leaving the state in droves.