Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania stated Thursday that he is “not afraid” if his 13-year-old daughter competes against biological males in sports, downplaying growing concerns over transgender athletes in women’s competitions.
His comments followed President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress on Tuesday, where Trump reaffirmed his executive order banning biological males from competing in women’s sports. During the speech, Trump highlighted Payton McNabb, a 19-year-old female athlete who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a male who identifies as female spiked a volleyball at her.
Fetterman, speaking on The Bulwark Podcast, acknowledged that transgender participation in sports is an unpopular issue but argued that it should be handled locally. “We’re at 13 million people in our state, and it’s a small, small number of people that are involved,” he said. “I have a 13-year-old daughter, and she plays basketball. And I’m not afraid that she’s gonna get mowed down.”
Fetterman remained defiant, saying he was prepared for political backlash. “I know that there’ll be commercials saying, ‘Fetterman’s for they/them’ and blah, blah, blah. And I’m like, ‘Hey, you know, like bring it on,’” he said.
Polling indicates strong public opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. A January New York Times/Ipsos survey found that 80% of Americans oppose the practice. A February Harvard CAPS Harris poll revealed that 69% of respondents support banning biological males from competing in female sports, with support divided along party lines.
Conservative commentator Dana Loesch criticized the Democratic Party’s stance on the issue, calling it a double standard. “The left tells us that if a man who wants to be a woman feels uncomfortable in men’s changing spaces, he’s accommodated. But if a woman feels uncomfortable about a man in women’s changing spaces, then they’re called bigots,” Loesch told The Ingraham Angle.
