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Poll finds majority of Americans oppose trans athletes in female sports teams

Washington Post and University of Maryland conducted survey

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Pennsylvania State University swimmer Lia Thomas competed on the women’s swim team and became the first transgender person to win an NCAA Division 1 national championship. (Screen capture via YouTube))

As the nationwide debate over transgender athletes’ involvement in sports teams corresponding to their gender identity continues, the Washington Post on Tuesday released a new poll identifying where Americans stand on the issue.

The new poll, conducted by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland, found that a majority of Americans oppose trans women and girls’ involvement in female sports. 

According to the poll, which surveyed more than 1,500 Americans, 55 percent were opposed to trans athletes participating in female high school sports. Similarly, the poll found that 58 percent were opposed to trans athletes competing on both college and professional female sports teams. 

The only sports category in which there was not majority opposition was on the question of trans athletes’ involvement in youth female sports teams. Forty-nine percent opposed their involvement at this level, while 33 percent supported it. Seventeen percent answered as having no opinion on the topic.

The poll’s findings contrast a growing overall acceptance among the population for those who identify as trans. 

Roughly 40 percent of those polled by the Post said that greater acceptance of trans people in society was good, compared to 25 percent who believed such to be bad. The findings remained relatively consistent with polling done earlier this year by the Pew Research Center that found similar attitudes that favored accepting trans individuals.

And as the share of young Americans identifying as trans has begun to rise, so too have the rates of Americans in recent years that have favored more social acceptance. However, the country’s perception on the issue of trans women and girls competing in female sports has remained stagnant. Some of the most prominent debate came earlier this year after Pennsylvania State University swimmer Lia Thomas competed on the women’s swim team and became the first trans person to win an NCAA Division 1 national championship.

“Trans women competing in women’s sports does not threaten women’s sports as a whole because trans women are a very small minority of all athletes and the NCAA rules regarding trans women competing in women’s sports have been around for 10-plus years,” Thomas said in an interview with ESPN. “And we haven’t seen any massive wave of trans women dominating.”

The results of the poll and renewed debates come as state legislatures across the country have pushed forward efforts in recent years to address what some lawmakers see as an unfair playing field presented by trans athletes’ presence on sports teams. Such efforts have risen in both prominence and frequency as the conversation has continued and remained persistent.

Just one week before the Post released their poll, the Louisiana State Legislature passed a bill that would prohibit trans athletes from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams at youth, high school and college levels. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards declined to veto or sign the bill, citing overwhelming support for the bill in the legislature that would have overridden his potential veto. Without requisite opposition, Louisiana will become the 18th state to enact such legislation.

Cathryn Oakley, state legislative director and senior counsel for the Human Rights Campaign, pushed back on both the legislature’s decision to pass the bill as well as Edwards’ decision not to block its passage.

“The radical politicians that engineered this bill are targeting kids who just want to play sports for the same reason all students do — to learn the values of teamwork, to face healthy competition, and to have fun,” Oakley said in a statement. “These children were failed by their leaders.”

Lawmakers in some states that have yet to pass restrictions on trans athletes’ involvement in sports have continued their attempts to do so.

On the same day of the Louisiana bill’s passage, the Pennsylvania Senate voted to advance similar legislation to mandate students in public schools and universities compete on sports teams consistent with their assigned sex at birth. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has since indicated his intent to prevent the bill’s passage into law.

“Pennsylvania’s Republican lawmakers are celebrating Pride Month by advancing legislation targeting trans kids,” Wolf wrote on Twitter. “As I’ve said, I will veto this bill if it makes it to my desk.”

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Sports

‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to participate in Olympic torch relay

Games to take place next month in Italy

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(Photo courtesy of Crave HBO Max)

“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will participate in the Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics that will take place next month in Italy.

HBO Max, which distributes “Heated Rivalry” in the U.S., made the announcement on Thursday in a press release.

The games will take place in Milan and Cortina from Feb. 6-22. The HBO Max announcement did not specifically say when Williams and Storrie will participate in the torch relay.

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Sports

Capitals to host 10th annual Pride night

Pre-game block party planned at District E

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(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Capitals will host Pride Night on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they host the Florida Panthers at Capital One Arena. A special ticket offer featuring a Pride-themed Capitals rainbow jersey is available at washcaps.com.

Fans are invited to a pre-game Block Party at District E beginning at 5 p.m. The event will feature a performance by the band NovaKane. Specialty happy hour food and beverages will be available, as well as giveaways. There will also be a presence by several local LGBTQ+ community organizations.

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Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’

Game to take place on June 26

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(Photo by fifg/Bigstock)

Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.

Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.

The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”

“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.

The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.

Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’

The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.

“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”

“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”

The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.

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