Sports

Elissa Slotkin says transgender athletes debate is to only ‘make sparks’

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) suggested any debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports should be left to the “local communities” because it is an infrequent occurrence. Slotkin’s take on the debate comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) admitted that biological men competing against women in sports is “deeply unfair” on his most recent episode of the This […]

By Jenny Goldsberry · Washington Examiner

Published March 9, 2025 12:19pm EST | Updated March 9, 2025 12:19pm EST

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Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) suggested any debate about transgender athletes in women’s sports should be left to the “local communities” because it is an infrequent occurrence.

Slotkin’s take on the debate comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) admitted that biological men competing against women in sports is “deeply unfair” on his most recent episode of the This is Gavin Newsom podcast. President Donald Trump has also recently signed an executive order to ban men from playing women’s sports. According to Slotkin, the issue is not a national one but is brought up often because it is a “good controversy.”

“Well, look, I think, you know, you’ll have to talk to Mr. Newsom and his podcast, and we’re all talking about it now because it’s, you know, good controversy,” Slotkin said

on NBC News’s Meet the Press Sunday. “But for me, it’s like, let the local community figure this out, right? In Michigan, we have a process in place where if someone who is born a boy wants to play in women’s sports, you have to get a waiver. We’ve had it happen two times in our entire state. So let the local communities, just like everything with schools, handle that issue. For me, though, I think, you know, this issue is being sort of brought up in order to make sparks and see sparks fly.”

Sports is a “religion” in Michigan according to Slotkin, and she credited playing in women’s sports for her “leadership training.”

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Host Kristen Welker also asked Slotkin who the new leader of the Democratic Party is since its last presidential candidate, former Vice President Kamala Harris, lost the November election. Despite Newsom’s posturing for the position as his gubernatorial term is up in a year, Slotkin did not name him as the leader but admitted the party is “on their heels.”

After Trump’s first speech to Congress earlier this week, Slotkin delivered the Democratic response. The senator claimed she is working to improve the party and even implement some Republican strategies “from within.”

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Elissa Slotkin Gavin Newsom LGBT Issues Sports Transgender Women's Sports