Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton was criticized by members of his own party in the last day after speaking out against the left's stance on transgender athletes in girls and women's sports.
In an interview with The New York Times, Moulton expressed his feelings on the issue, citing his position as a father to two daughters.
"Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face," he said. "I have two little girls. I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that."
Moulton doubled down on the stance in a statement released Friday evening.
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"I stand firmly in my belief for the need for competitive women's sports to put limits on the participation of those with the unfair physical advantages that come with being born male," his statement said. "I am also a strong supporter of the civil rights of all Americans, including transgender rights.
"I will fight, as I always have, for the rights and safety of all citizens. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive, and we can even disagree on them. Yet there are many who, shouting from the extreme left corners of social media, believe I have failed the unspoken Democratic Party purity test.
"We did not lose the 2024 election because of any trans person or issue. We lost, in part, because we shame and belittle too many opinions held by too many voters and that needs to stop. Let’s have these debates now, determine a new strategy for our party since our existing one failed, and then unite to oppose the Trump agenda wherever it imperils American values."
The comments have prompted vicious condemnations against Moulton, many by his Democratic allies.
Massachusetts state Rep. Manny Cruz suggested Moulton's stance was "a betrayal" in a post on X.
"Congressman Moulton, your commitment then was protecting the LGBTQ community, standing up for their rights, and compassion. Now, on a political whim, our Congressman has betrayed the words he signed onto just last year by scapegoating transgender youth in sports for the failures of the national Democratic Party and leaders to win the presidential election. You said you 'would stand with Nagly and with all our community … against all forms of bigotry, discrimination, bullying, and harassment,'" Cruz wrote.
Salem city Councilor Kyle Davis, another Democrat, called for Moulton to resign.
"I’m not looking for an apology from [Moulton], I’m looking for a resignation," Davis wrote in a post on X.
Massachusetts state Sen. Jamie Eldridge also condemned Moulton in a post on X and discouraged other Democrats in his state from following Moulton's lead.
"Do not abandon our values," Eldridge wrote in a message to fellow Massachusetts Democrats.
Moulton is not the only Democrat who has pulled away from supporting biological males in women's and girls sports in the recent election cycle. In the same New York Times article Moulton was cited in, New York Democratic U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi also spoke out against it.
"The Democrats have to stop pandering to the far left," Suozzi said. "I don’t want to discriminate against anybody, but I don’t think biological boys should be playing in girls sports.
"Democrats aren’t saying that, and they should be."
Democrats who have previously voted for laws that would enable transgender inclusion in women's sports have publicly denounced their support for the concept in the weeks leading up to Election Day. These Democrats include Texas Rep. Colin Allred, Texas Rep. Vicente Gonzalez and Alaska Rep. Mary Peltola.
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown recently defended himself when being linked to the issue by claiming he was never in favor of allowing biological males in women's sports.
"In Ohio, this has already been banned," Brown boasted in a campaign ad released in October.
However, some in the party have continued to advocate for transgender inclusion and the right of transgender athletes to compete against biological females.
Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attacked the Green Party presidential ticket after the party's vice presidential nominee, Butch Ware, spoke out against transgender athletes in women's sports.
"I don’t think that biological males should play in female sports," Ware said in a video posted to X by lawyer and columnist Olayemi Olurin. "I think it gives an unfair, you know, competitive advantage."
Ocasio-Cortez responded to the video, labeling the ticket "predatory."
The Biden-Harris administration issued a sweeping rule in April that clarified that Title IX’s ban on "sex" discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and "pregnancy or related conditions." And while the administration insisted the regulation does not address athletic eligibility, multiple experts presented evidence to Fox News Digital in June that it would ultimately put more biological men in women's sports.
Ocasio-Cortez argued the reform did not go far enough in favor of transgender people and, specifically, transgender athletes who want to compete in women's sports.
"Absolutely no reason for the Biden admin to do this. It is indefensible and embarrassing. The admin can still walk this back, and they should. It’s a disgrace," Ocasio wrote in response to a report that the change would allow schools to bar transgender athletes from women's and girls sports.
Bills like the Equality Act and a Transgender Bill of Rights have been proposed and co-sponsored by Democrats, which would help enable transgender inclusion in women's sports at a national level.
President-elect Trump has suggested a federal ban of transgender inclusion in women's and girls sports.
In June, a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago asked respondents to weigh in on whether transgender athletes of both sexes should be permitted to participate in sports leagues that correspond to their preferred gender identity instead of their biological sex.
Sixty-five percent answered that it should either be never or rarely allowed. When those polled were asked specifically about adult transgender female athletes competing on women’s sports teams, 69% opposed it.
The United Nations released study findings that say nearly 900 biological females have been denied medals in sports because they were beaten out by transgender athletes.
The study, titled "Violence against women and girls in sports," said that more than 600 athletes did not medal in more than 400 competitions in 29 different sports, totaling over 890 medals, according to information obtained up to March 30.
"The replacement of the female sports category with a mixed-sex category has resulted in an increasing number of female athletes losing opportunities, including medals, when competing against males," the report said.
