After about two weeks in office, President Donald Trump hit on a major issue from the campaign, namely, that of biological men in women’s sports.
Trump issued an executive order titled, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
California rejected the order, but now some local districts are falling in line, setting up a big fight with Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Trump issued the order on Feb. 5 of this year.
In part, the order stated, “In recent years, many educational institutions and athletic associations have allowed men to compete in women’s sports. This is demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.”
My regular readers know this is a hot subject for me for two reasons, the first of which is the integrity of sports.
Second, and far more important in my eyes (as someone who has sports-oriented nieces), is the safety factor. I don’t want to see my niece get crushed by a biological male who identifies as a woman on the lacrosse field, and I would imagine I am far from alone on this issue.
Legislation was proposed in California that would have had the state fall in line with Trump’s order, but it was defeated.
There were actually two bills presented, and both fell along party lines, easily defeating the effort by the GOP to fall in line with Trump’s order.
Assemblymember Kate Sanchez (R-Rancho Santa Margarita) defended the legislation, stating, “Let’s be clear; it is not about hate. It is not about fear, and it’s not right-wing talking points. This is entirely about fairness, safety and integrity in girls’ competitive high school athletics. That’s it.”
Committee member Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) countered, “It’s about playing on the hate and fear of transgender people, one of our most marginalized communities. And it is right-wing talking points.”
Some people in California are starting to realize that biological men on the playing field with women is not such a good idea.
To that point, the Kern County Board of Education has just passed a resolution that would have the county fall in line with Trump’s new rule, making it the first county in California to do so.
Now it will be up to Newsom’s administration to push back, but I am not sure that will happen, as the governor seems to have had some reservations on this subject, recently stating, "And my position is that I don’t think it’s fair, but I also think it’s demeaning to talk down to people, and to belittle the trans community.”
Nobody is talking down to the trans community… more than anything else, this is about safety. Do we really want to see a young girl seriously injured in a contact or combat sport, possibly killed? Believe me, if we continue down this road, that is what is going to happen.
