His Godson Is Trans But Gavin Newsom Thinks Trans Athletes Could Be “Unfair”
In an interview on KQED’s Political Breakdown on the 25th of October 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom said state law should be “changed” to clarify when and how transgender girls compete in girls’ sports. He added, “I agree on the issue of fairness in that respect, that it is unfair in these circumstances, and I haven’t been able to reconcile it.”
What he actually said about fairness.
Newsom has become increasingly vocal on the topic. He told KQED last Friday that while he disagrees with the political vitriol [around trans people] he has concerns. “I agree on the issue of fairness in that respect, that it is unfair in these circumstances, and I haven’t been able to reconcile it,” Newsom said, referring to trans student-athletes.
This was not a one-off comment. He shared similar views in March with Charlie Kirk, calling the situation “deeply unfair,” and repeated the sentiment on another podcast in July.
Separating sports from human rights…
Newsom has tried to frame this as a separate issue from broader trans rights. “Because you oppose sports does not make you a bigot,” he stated in July, adding his “party needs to stop saying that.”
He argues that sports are different because they are “impacting other people’s rights.” This new focus comes as California’s 2013 law, which allows trans kids to participate in school sports as their gender, faces renewed criticism driven by a national Republican strategy.
He says he’s still the community’s biggest defender.
When challenged on his position, Newsom vigorously defended his history of support. “There’s not one person you’ve had on-air who has a better record on trans rights than this person you’re talking to, period full stop,” he claimed on KQED.
The Governor cited signing numerous bills to protect trans people and appointing them to significant government positions. He also used his personal life to support his stance. “And I say this with a trans godson,” he said. “I have only one godson, who’s trans… these people just wanna survive.”
An old fight and a new contradiction.
Newsom also pointed to his past, claiming he “was attacking HRC because they weren’t including trans rights back in 2004, 5, 6.” This is likely a reference to the Human Rights Campaign’s 2007 position on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, though he provided no specific details.
While the Governor agreed California’s law should be looked at, he did not say how it should be changed. His comments leave a community he claims to champion wondering exactly what his “reconciliation” on fairness will look like.
