Story at a glance
- Candidate for California governor Caitlyn Jenner said biological males shouldn’t participate in girls’ sports.
- Jenner, an Olympic athlete, said it “just isn’t fair.”
- LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations pushed back.
Caitlyn Jenner, a former Olympic athlete, LGBTQ+ community member and candidate for governor of California, made headlines with her stance regarding the pressing issue of transgender athletes participating on sports teams associated with their gender identities.
Jenner, a transgender woman and 1976 decathlon gold medal winner, told TMZ on Saturday that she does not think transgender girls should participate in girls’ sports, citing “fairness.”
“That’s why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls’ sports in school. It just isn’t fair. And we have to protect girls’ sports in our schools,” Jenner said on Saturday.
This comes as multiple anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been passed or considered in state legislatures.
Advocacy organizations have been swift in condemning Jenner, a Republican, over her remarks.
“Here are the facts @Caitlyn_Jenner is willing to sacrifice the health & well-being of #trans kids to win votes,” Equality California tweeted.
These recent remarks are a stark contrast to Jenner’s comments on transgender youth in athletics in 2015 when she accepted the ESPY Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
“I also want to acknowledge all the young trans athletes who are out there given the chance to play sports as who they really are,” she said during her acceptance speech.
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