AOC, Jeffries silent on Democrat backlash after anti-athlete bill empowers child abusers
After dividing Democratic voters with unsubstantiated claims that the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act would empower child molesters to perform genital examinations on young girls, two prominent leftists in the House of Representatives are not talking about the issue.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, DN.Y., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DN.Y. were among 206 Democrats who voted against a bill that would have barred transgender athletes from competing against girls and women last week.
Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez push the unsubstantiated claim that it will subject girls to genital examinations by predators. There is no language in the bill that suggests genital testing, and Republicans say proof of birth gender can be determined through a birth certificate.
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Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez did not respond to multiple requests for comment by Fox News Digital about their feud, which follows a backlash among Democratic voters who say they are leaving the party over the controversy and data suggesting a majority of Democrats oppose the changes. women’s sports coverage.
However, Ocasio-Cortez addressed the idea of culture wars about transgender people as a distraction during an interview on the “Daily Show” on Thursday.
“When we allow ourselves to be constantly distracted by these culture wars around trans people, it’s something new every day, and the answer is not that we let those people be attacked, that we say, ‘What are you doing, man?’ I think we need to advocate for those people that thought is just that it’s not controversial,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“Like, we have to understand and see the bait for what it is, but we don’t take the bait by letting those rights just erode and go by the wayside.”
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Ocasio-Cortez’s suggestion that the party should make transgender protections a backdoor came after she delivered a speech in favor of transgender people and against the Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act on the floor of the House of Representatives last week.
His outburst drew ridicule, and Democrats have since spoken of their disgust with him and the party’s handling of the issue.
Rutgers distinguished law professor Gary Francione, a lifelong Democrat and LGBTQ rights advocate, told Fox News Digital that he left the Democratic Party in response to opposition to the bill.
“That really pissed me off because it felt like a lack of integrity, a lack of honesty,” Francione told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “How do you fight these battles? By trying to disrespect other people who oppose you and those who oppose you and say that they are child molesters or molesters? It seems to me that you have lost this game. … I don’t know how they will come back from this.”
Francione said most of the other Democrats in his legislative and education system hate the party’s response to the bill and will leave the party.
“I can confidently say from the people I know who are Democrats that I’ve talked to, most of them are not happy with all of this and feel that the party is lost,” Francione said. “I know couples who say they will leave [unregister].”
Voter registration data suggests the party is losing members in Francione’s home state of Pennsylvania. However, no specific information is available as to why. Prominent political activist Scott Pressler announced on X that voter registration data shows that the number of Democratic voters has dropped by 24,867 since Jan. 14 to Jan. 21, the week following the House of Representatives hearing.
Only two Democrats joined the Republican majority in voting for the bill, representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, both of Texas. Their decision to break with the rest of the party and vote for the protection of women and girls in sports reflects the growing position of many voters in their parties and independents, according to the latest data.
The latest New York Times/Ipsos poll found most Americans, including most Democrats, do not think transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Of the 2,128 people interviewed, 79% said transgender men who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete against women.
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The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is headed to the Senate after passing the House, and will need more votes from Democrats to pass the filibuster and go to President Donald Trump’s desk.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that she expects and hopes the bill will get the Democratic votes it needs to pass the Senate.
“I would expect there would be. I hope there will be,” he said.
“A lot of my Democrat friends will tell you that they think Title IX is a thing, and having natural men competing against women is not fair. And they want opportunities for their daughters or nieces or granddaughters. And it frustrates them when you hear or see a transgender man playing in a women’s or girls’ league.”
Blackburn added that he “doesn’t know” what Democrats who proposed that the law would be tested on girls were thinking when they made that argument.
“I find it very hard to believe that protecting girls in sports can have such a negative effect,” said Blackburn. “Looking at the content of this bill is the best way to oppose it and know that the majority of Americans support protecting girls in girls’ sports.”
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