Democratic California gubernatorial candidate Betty Yee spent four minutes during a Wednesday interview insisting that biological males who identify as transgender women should be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 5 barring federal funds from schools that allow men who identify as transgender women to play in women’s sports. Journalist Piers Morgan questioned Yee, the former California State Controller, about the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics that Los Angeles will host.
“You’ve got the Olympics coming to California, to L.A.. So are you suggesting that you would allow trans athletes to compete in women’s sport in the Olympics if you were governor?” Morgan asked Yee, who responded, “Well, I think there’s still lot of discussion that needs to happen. I think there’s a lot of information we need to learn about, what’s really happening with the ability of trans athletes to compete, but my statement is about being able to be sure that they can compete. And right now —”
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOC) has announced new rules that effectively bar biological males who identify as transgender women from competing in women’s sports, as have the International Cycling Union, World Boxing Association and World Aquatics.
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“Yeah, but my question is whether you think they should compete in women’s sport in the Olympics, because it’s coming to LA. So it’s relevant,” Morgan said, interrupting Yee, who replied, “I think transgender female athletes are women athletes and they should be able to compete.”
“Wow. Really? So you — if you were governor of California, you would support biological males who identify as women competing in women’s sport in the Olympics?” Morgan asked, with Yee reiterating, “They are now identified as transgender female and they should be allowed.”
The issue of biological males who identify as transgender competing in women’s sports became controversial following Lia Thomas’s participation in the 2022 NCAA championships, where the biological male won the 500-yard women’s final. Trump said he supported banning biological men from competing in women’s sports during an Oct. 16 town hall moderated by Fox News host Harris Faulkner.
“Can you think of a single sport in the Olympics where men would not have an advantage over women, with the exception, potentially, of archery?” Morgan asked Yee, who responded, “You know, I think you can see female athletes where — particularly in track and field, where agility is probably —”
“What?! Hang on, are you suggesting that women — so, hang on, you think that women could compete against men in track and field, like in 100 meters, 200 meters, 10,000 meters? Do you?” Morgan interjected.
In 2018, two biological males who identified as transgender women dominated in the women’s 100-meter dash finals in the Connecticut track championship.
“Perhaps. You know, I’m not a sports —” Yee said before Morgan cut in with, “Perhaps?! Of course they couldn’t. Have you seen the — have you seen the times that women and men record in the Olympics for all track and field events? Have you watched Usain Bolt when he smashed the world record for the 100 meters? So you think women could run against Usain Bolt, for example, at his peak, and that would be fair?”
“I think there are — look, I’m just going to say this: There’s a lot of misinformation about the ability of transgender athletes —” Yee claimed before Morgan interrupted again, saying, “That wasn’t my question. My question was, you’ve got the Olympics coming to your state. You want to be the California governor. I am actually a resident in California, in Los Angeles. I’m very curious about your response to how you would want the Olympics to be conducted, which would be fair and equitable for women? But it seems to me like you would like to remove any sexual differentiation between the Olympic sports and let them all compete. It would be gender-neutral, wouldn’t it, if you were governor?”
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