Democrat mother confronts California lawmaker over trans athletes, says issue 'not partisan'
A tense exchange unfolded at a recent California event where attorney and mother Erin Friday confronted Democratic Assemblymember Marc Berman over the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Friday, who describes herself as a lifelong Democrat, said she simply wanted to voice her concerns but felt dismissed by Berman.
"I hate to use the [word] ‘misogynistic,’ but that’s what he was," Friday said during an appearance on "America’s Newsroom."
"These lawmakers are all talking about boys, you know, trans-identifying boys, and no one’s talking about what is happening to the females that have no choice."
Video footage from the event shows Friday and other concerned parents attempting to speak with Berman. Initially, Berman avoided direct engagement, repeating phrases like "thank you for coming," which Friday interpreted as an effort to stay composed.
Eventually, Berman did join the conversation, standing by his support for transgender athletes.
"I will stand up for every California student, including gay and transgender," Berman said.
He went on to call President Donald Trump a bully and suggested that opposing transgender athletes in women’s sports amounts to attacking a small and vulnerable group.
Friday rejected the notion that her concerns were political.
"This is not a partisan issue," she said.
"They want to present it that way. They want to say that this is a conservative issue, but it’s not."
A recent New York Times/Ipsos poll echoes Friday’s concerns. According to the survey, nearly 80% of Americans believe transgender female athletes should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Only 18% support allowing them to participate in women’s leagues.
"I don’t know why these lawmakers are not listening to us. I suspect that they just dislike President Trump so much that they can’t see past their hatred towards him and actually safeguard their own constituents."
Friday says her involvement in the issue began when her own daughter briefly questioned her gender. As a former athlete herself, Friday said she empathizes with girls and women who feel uncomfortable sharing private spaces with biological males.
"I am a female, and I played sports. I [want to] walk into a bathroom and feel safe," she said.
"I have brothers. I understand the difference between male and female bodies. We don’t need science to demonstrate that."
Her comments follow a string of protests by female athletes who’ve refused to compete against transgender opponents. Earlier this month, a video of women’s disc golfer Abigail Wilson refusing to play against a transgender competitor went viral.
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Just days earlier, Fox News Digital reported that fencer Stephanie Turner declined to face a transgender athlete during a competition in Maryland, sparking international attention and criticism of USA Fencing.