For years, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has been an ardent supporter of the transgender rights movement.

Yet in a move that has brought condemnation from many of his fellow progressives, Newsom has apparently flipped on the issue. 

Comments sparked by transgender track and field athlete

According to Fox News, the California governor revealed his change of heart during a recent interview with conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, who was appearing on the debut episode of Newsom's new podcast, brought up the issue of controversial transgender track and field athlete AB Hernandez.

"The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen," Kirk at one point told Newsom.

"You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?" Kirk asked.

Newsom acknowledges that it is "deeply unfair" for women to face male athletes

"Well, I think it's an issue of fairness," Newsom replied before telling Kirk, "I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair."

However, Newsom was quick to stress that "poor" transgender individuals "are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well."

"So both things I can hold in my hand," he remarked. "How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?"

Fox News pointed out how transgender athletes have been protected in California since then Gov. Jerry Brown signed the School Success and Opportunity Act in 2013.

What's more, Newsom himself generated controversy in 2020 when he signed the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, which allows prison inmates to request cells that align with their gender identity.

Fellow Democrat "profoundly disappointed and sickened" by Newsom's new stance

Meanwhile, Politico reported that Newsom's comments to Kirk did not go unnoticed by critics, including San Diego Democrat Chris Ward.

Inside California Democrats' intra-party feud over trans rights https://t.co/p3JgELMvK7

— POLITICO (@politico) March 7, 2025

Ward declared that he was "profoundly disappointed and sickened" by the governor's new stance regarding transgender athletes.

"This is playing into a lot of the conversation that Donald Trump is obsessing about in order to distract us," the Democratic politician went on to lament.