The controversial bill that bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girl’s sports that passed in the Florida Legislature has received an unexpected show of support for one of most prolific athletes in U.S. history — Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce Jenner.
In a statement to TMZ, Jenner, who has gone through the full transgender transformation made the case for Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican-led legislature that their ban argument evened the playing field for women and girls, saying that it was “a question of fairness” referring to transgenders as “biological boys.”
I didn’t expect to get asked this on my Saturday morning coffee run, but I’m clear about where I stand. It’s an issue of fairness and we need to protect girls’ sports in our schools.https://t.co/YODLDQ3csP
— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) May 1, 2021
"This is a question of fairness, that's why I oppose biological boys who are trans competing in girls' sports in school," Jenner told TMZ. "It just isn't fair, and we have to protect girls' sports in our schools."
During Laura Ingraham’s “Red State Trailblazers” segment on her nightly Fox News program, the issue of Transgender sports came up and DeSantis was asked about his position on the issue, and if he would sign into law a bill to ban Transgendered or “biological males” from competing in women’s sports that recently passed in the Florida Legislature.
Gov. DeSantis brought up his two young daughters to make his case for supporting the controversial measure.
“They are both very athletic, and we want to have opportunities for our girls,” said DeSantis. “They deserve an even playing field. And that’s what we are doing.”
Arguably the loudest detractor of the bill in Florida, gay activist and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D) has not said much after Jenner’s statement, but in the days leading up to the vote and shortly after the legislature sent the bill to Gov. DeSantis’ desk, Rep. Smith took to the House floor to make his case against the bill.
Smith called the move by Republicans “a crusade against vulnerable transgendered children” and an “obsession.”
"The FL House + Senate created a giant mess that requires twisting themselves into legislative pretzels to get out of. You created this w/your frightening obsession with trans girls who just want to be included, who just want to play and who just want to be LEFT THE HELL ALONE,” tweeted Smith.
"The FL House + Senate created a giant mess that requires twisting themselves into legislative pretzels to get out of. You created this w/your frightening obsession with trans girls who just want to be included, who just want to play and who just want to be LEFT THE HELL ALONE." pic.twitter.com/GkXwgYsqZp
— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) May 1, 2021
Recently, Republican Reps. Mike Giallombardo and Spencer Roach joined other Southwest Florida legislators in denouncing a local school board's policy to allow transgender children in girl's restrooms.
