Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton says he supports the rights of transgender Americans but believes there should be limits when it comes to athletes on playing fields. His statement to Boston 25 News on Friday evening follows a controversial quote in the New York Times regarding his thoughts on transgender athletes and why Democrats lost the 2024 election.
“Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face,” Moulton told the New York Times before adding: “I have two girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat, I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.”
Fellow Democrats and educators in his home district of Salem immediately criticized the comment. Salem’s mayor and school committee issued a statement saying they “denounce, in the strongest terms possible, the comments made by Congressman Seth Moulton regarding children’s athletic participation. Congressman Moulton’s comments with respect to trans and non-binary children do not reflect our values.”