news-engine

Earlier this year, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham ignited a nationwide conversation about transgender women playing in women’s sports. Now, amidst that public discourse, one prominent Democrat has changed his stance on the issue. James Talarico is a Democrat who has served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2018 and has voted against legislation that would bar trans student-athletes from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity. Now, however, as he runs for the state’s Senate race, he has changed his mind. Talarico voted against anti-trans legislation As a state representative, Talarico voted against GOP restrictions that would bar trans student-athletes from competing in women’s sports, as The Texas Tribune points out. The Texas Tribune notes that Talarico said the bans would allow government to “police people’s private parts” and would harm “the least of these,” a reference to Jesus’ remarks in scripture. He also compared the justifications offered for the bans to rationales that were historically used to bar Black athletes from competing in professional sports. “Some things are more important than perfectly fair competition in sports,” Talarico said in 2021. ‘I oppose trans athletes’ Talarico seems to have changed his tune, however. In an interview with Fox News this week, he was asked about his stance on transgender women and girls competing in women’s sports. The Democrat made it clear that he was against it if it hindered fairness or safety. “And what about biological men competing in women’s sports? That’s a big deal here in Texas,” Fox News’ Brooke Taylor asked Talarico during the interview. “I oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it endangers safety or fairness,” he responded. “Every sport has to be safe and fair. As a former public school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes; I care a lot about our students. And so I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness.” In that interview, Talarico explained this apparent reversal, claiming that he voted against the bans because they were “overly broad.” He also claimed that he would have supported amendments to the legislation that would have given the authority to make those decisions to the local communities. “I supported amendments that would have given the power to make these decisions to local communities — like conservatives used to believe,” Talarico said. “I think that the people closest to these problems are best equipped to make decisions for themselves, not politicians in Austin, not politicians in Washington. I trust local officials and local communities to make these decisions, and that’s what I voted for.”