A growing majority of American voters, including many who supported Kamala Harris in 2024, reject the idea of allowing biological men to compete in womens sports, underscoring how far Democratic elites have drifted from public sentiment on one of the countrys most contentious cultural issues.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, a new Economist/YouGov survey conducted from Jan. 23 to Jan. 26 shows that 43 percent of Kamala Harriss 2024 voters oppose allowing biological men to compete in womens sports, while only 39 percent support the policy. Overall, 67 percent of voters reject the practice, with a mere 22 percent in favor, suggesting that the progressive push to erase biological distinctions in athletics is deeply out of step with the electorate.
Even as these numbers harden, leading Democrats are conspicuously reluctant to engage on the transgender sports debate. When asked basic questions such as, "Should transgender girls be able to participate in girls' sports? Do you believe transgender youths under age 18 should be able to be placed on puberty blockers and hormones? And what is your response to the question: 'Can a man become a woman?'" nearly 20 prominent Democrats refused to answer.
Those declining to comment included Harris, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, California governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker, Kentucky governor Andy Beshear, New Jersey senator Cory Booker, Connecticut senator Chris Murphy, and California representative Ro Khanna. Their silence highlights a widening gap between the partys activist base and a public increasingly concerned about fairness and the protection of womens sports.
Only three potential 2028 contenders were willing to respond: Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, former Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, and former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg. Emanuel said "no" when asked whether biological men should compete in womens sports and whether a man can become a woman, while Shapiro conceded that male athletes may have an unfair advantage over female competitors and Buttigieg questioned what he called his partys "past orthodoxies" on sports, invoking his earlier view that local officials and "experts" should decide.
As Democrats equivocate, the Supreme Courts conservative majority appears poised to affirm the right of states to protect womens athletics from male competition. During oral arguments this month in cases from West Virginia and Idaho, several justices stressed that federal law has long allowed sex-separated teams to preserve fair competition, a principle conservatives argue is now under ideological assault.
Some on the left are openly frustrated with their partys evasions. "Pathetic," wrote former CNN analyst Chris Cillizza, adding, "Take a position and just defend it!" while Democratic strategist Liam Kerr told Axios that candidates should have "a clear answer, whatever it is," a demand that aligns more closely with the clarity conservatives have long urged on questions of biology, fairness, and the integrity of womens sports.
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