Linda McMahon testifies at her Senate confirmation hearing in February.
Washington D.C. – Education Secretary Linda McMahon is demanding California Governor Gavin Newsom clarify his stance on transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports following his recent remarks calling their participation “deeply unfair.”
Newsom, a Democrat and likely 2028 presidential contender, made the comments on the debut episode of his podcast, This is Gavin Newsom, during a discussion with conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The governor’s remarks surprised many in his party, drawing sharp criticism from LGBTQ advocacy groups and some California Democrats.
State Sen. Scott Wiener (D) condemned Newsom’s statement, saying, “The Governor has had many courageous moments over the decades supporting LGBTQ people. This is not one of those moments.”
In a letter sent Thursday, McMahon urged Newsom to take further action, arguing that the “overwhelming majority of Americans” agree with his view that allowing transgender athletes to compete in female categories is unfair. However, she also called for broader policy changes, pressing Newsom to repeal a California law that protects transgender students from being outed by school staff without their consent.
“Parents would appreciate your leadership directing schools to restore sex-based categories in all education programs and activities,” McMahon wrote in the letter, obtained by The Hill. “School personnel have no business promoting the false notion that kids can choose or change their sex.”
McMahon contended that California’s policy allowing transgender students access to single-sex facilities and sports teams aligned with their gender identity violates Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education. She warned that Newsom has a “duty to inform California school districts of this risk.”
The Biden administration has taken a starkly different approach on the issue, launching federal inquiries into states and school districts that comply with former President Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes from women’s sports. Several states, including Maine and Minnesota, have pushed back, citing anti-discrimination laws that include gender identity protections.
Newsom is also facing pressure from Republican lawmakers, with Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) urging him to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in female sports ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, at least two bills proposing such a ban are moving through California’s Democratic-led Legislature, though Newsom’s office has not indicated whether he would sign them.
Additionally, Attorney General Pam Bondi has previously warned the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the state’s governing body for high school sports, to comply with Trump’s executive order or face potential legal action from the Justice Department.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will ultimately determine eligibility rules for transgender athletes at the 2028 Olympics. Its newly elected president, Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe, recently announced the formation of a task force to review the issue and ensure the “protection of the female category.”
Newsom’s office has not responded to requests for comment on McMahon’s letter or his broader stance on the issue.
