Newsom signed a bill prohibiting school districts from notifying parents if their child changes their gender identity, protecting students from forced outings and creating a safe space for gender exploration.
California Sanctuary State Law:
In 2022, Newsom signed a law making California a refuge for transgender youth and families from other states with discriminatory laws, ensuring access to gender-affirming care.
Inclusion in Death Tracking:
Newsom signed a bill into law that explicitly included sexual orientation and gender identity in the tracking data for violent deaths of LGBTQ individuals.
Areas of conflict and criticism:
Veto of Custody Bill:
In 2023, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required judges to consider a parent’s affirmation of their child’s gender identity in custody disputes.
Concerns about Trans Athletes:
Newsom has voiced opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, a stance that has drawn criticism from the LGBTQ+ community for aligning with conservative viewpoints on the issue.
Public Resistance to School Notification:
Newsom’s initial resistance to the ban on parental notification, even as he signed other bills expanding rights, caused tension within the LGBTQ+ community.
Recent shifts in Newsom’s position:
Podcast with Charlie Kirk:
In March 2025, Newsom appeared on a podcast with right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk, where he agreed with Kirk’s views on the “unfair advantage” of trans athletes in sports, causing shock and condemnation from allies and sparking debate about his commitment to trans rights.
Internal Democratic Feud:
His stance on trans issues, including athletes, is reportedly causing tension within the Democratic Party and has been seen by some as a strategic move to avoid being associated with the party’s support for trans rights, especially after recent election losses.
Why are you explaining this to me like I’m not a trans person who has lived in California over a decade?
California LGBTQ leaders and organizations with decades of experience in advocating for LGBTQ people immediately condemned his statements. It doesn’t matter what legislation he’s signed in the past, throw the trans community under the bus and that goes out the window.
If any criticism of him is bad, the only way to make it stop is to get him to stop being a transphobe for political gain. Period. If everyone has shut up about it then it’s because I’m dead.
Also, don’t you think it’s a little rude to respond to a comment with a ChatGPT infodump without even disclosing it?
One side wants to kill us, and now the other side is shifting to agree with them on trans people existing being a problem. I don’t know why you think it’ll end with sports. If they’re successful at banning trans people from sports, next comes bathroom, employment protections, housing protections, and so on. We can’t just brush these things off, or they’ll continue to sprint towards right wing ideology to pursue the mythical “centrist” voters.
Might wanna read closer: bathrooms are frequently segregated by gender.
The argument isn’t really about where we are now (bad place), it’s about permitting the shift of the overton window to the right permitting the further erosion of trans rights.
People always bitching about ‘you gotta look at the big picture’ and sacrifice trans rights as if those repressive forces aren’t working on that same damn timeframe to take those and more.
I was asked some three or four years ago my stance and I didn’t have one then it wasn’t even something I thought should be considered. How has your attitude changed in the last few years?
Furthermore, do you consider yourself well represented by the Democratic Party now? Or were you better represented in the past?
Are you intentionally trying to miss the point that this is entirely fixable if Newsom walks back the transphobia? Because all I’m hearing is that there’s a certain amount of transphobia that trans people are obligated to silently accept, and that’s horse shit.
The fact you think it’s ‘just sports’ shows you have zero clue what that represents. Asking trans people to just accept the erosion of their participation in public life for the good of a society that hates us is fucked. Which of your rights have you put on the chopping block for everyone else?
Legislation signed by Newsom:
2024 Ban on Parental Notification:
Newsom signed a bill prohibiting school districts from notifying parents if their child changes their gender identity, protecting students from forced outings and creating a safe space for gender exploration.
California Sanctuary State Law:
In 2022, Newsom signed a law making California a refuge for transgender youth and families from other states with discriminatory laws, ensuring access to gender-affirming care.
Inclusion in Death Tracking:
Newsom signed a bill into law that explicitly included sexual orientation and gender identity in the tracking data for violent deaths of LGBTQ individuals.
Areas of conflict and criticism:
Veto of Custody Bill:
In 2023, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have required judges to consider a parent’s affirmation of their child’s gender identity in custody disputes.
Concerns about Trans Athletes:
Newsom has voiced opposition to transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, a stance that has drawn criticism from the LGBTQ+ community for aligning with conservative viewpoints on the issue.
Public Resistance to School Notification:
Newsom’s initial resistance to the ban on parental notification, even as he signed other bills expanding rights, caused tension within the LGBTQ+ community.
Recent shifts in Newsom’s position:
Podcast with Charlie Kirk:
In March 2025, Newsom appeared on a podcast with right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk, where he agreed with Kirk’s views on the “unfair advantage” of trans athletes in sports, causing shock and condemnation from allies and sparking debate about his commitment to trans rights.
Internal Democratic Feud:
His stance on trans issues, including athletes, is reportedly causing tension within the Democratic Party and has been seen by some as a strategic move to avoid being associated with the party’s support for trans rights, especially after recent election losses.
Why are you explaining this to me like I’m not a trans person who has lived in California over a decade?
California LGBTQ leaders and organizations with decades of experience in advocating for LGBTQ people immediately condemned his statements. It doesn’t matter what legislation he’s signed in the past, throw the trans community under the bus and that goes out the window.
If any criticism of him is bad, the only way to make it stop is to get him to stop being a transphobe for political gain. Period. If everyone has shut up about it then it’s because I’m dead.
Also, don’t you think it’s a little rude to respond to a comment with a ChatGPT infodump without even disclosing it?
One side wants to literally kill you.
The other side won’t let you play in some sports.
And your solution is to let others decide between the two, because you don’t like either.
One side wants to kill us, and now the other side is shifting to agree with them on trans people existing being a problem. I don’t know why you think it’ll end with sports. If they’re successful at banning trans people from sports, next comes bathroom, employment protections, housing protections, and so on. We can’t just brush these things off, or they’ll continue to sprint towards right wing ideology to pursue the mythical “centrist” voters.
Sports are the only one of those that we’ve segregated by gender.
It’s also the only one that’s remotely bipartisan.
Might wanna read closer: bathrooms are frequently segregated by gender.
The argument isn’t really about where we are now (bad place), it’s about permitting the shift of the overton window to the right permitting the further erosion of trans rights.
People always bitching about ‘you gotta look at the big picture’ and sacrifice trans rights as if those repressive forces aren’t working on that same damn timeframe to take those and more.
I’m willing to “sacrifice” trans rights in women’s sports. There’s at least some point there that’s debatable.
I’m not willing to harass people over what bathroom they use.
I was asked some three or four years ago my stance and I didn’t have one then it wasn’t even something I thought should be considered. How has your attitude changed in the last few years?
Furthermore, do you consider yourself well represented by the Democratic Party now? Or were you better represented in the past?
Are you intentionally trying to miss the point that this is entirely fixable if Newsom walks back the transphobia? Because all I’m hearing is that there’s a certain amount of transphobia that trans people are obligated to silently accept, and that’s horse shit.
The fact you think it’s ‘just sports’ shows you have zero clue what that represents. Asking trans people to just accept the erosion of their participation in public life for the good of a society that hates us is fucked. Which of your rights have you put on the chopping block for everyone else?