In her last few days as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, failed presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard has decided to walk back her commitment to the LGBTQ community by pushing one final piece of legislation on her way out the door that seeks to strip away protections from trans and gender-nonconforming students.
Related: Tulsi Gabbard releases awkward four minute cellphone video apologizing for her years of homophobia
As you may recall, while running for president in 2019, Gabbard issued an apology for her years of antigay advocacy work and homophobic statements, saying she was “deeply sorry” for her past beliefs and that she now possessed a “strong and ongoing commitment to fighting for LGBTQ+ rights.”
“I regret the role I played in causing such pain,” she said in a video statement, “and I remain committed to fight for LGBTQ equality.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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Many years ago, I apologized for my words and, more importantly, for the negative impact that they had. I sincerely repeat my apology today.
— Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) January 17, 2019
Well, not anymore!
Last week, Gabbarb introduced the “Protect Women’s Sports Acts,” which aims to limit protections under title IX of the Education Amendments to “biological sex as determined at birth by a physician.”
In other words, if Gabbard gets her way, student athletes who are trans and gender-nonconforming will no longer be protected from discrimination in educational programs or activities that receive federal funding, and trans women would be banned from those programs altogether.
Related: Former antigay activist Tulsi Gabbard can’t believe she wasn’t invited to speak at the DNC
In a statement, Gabbard said a “generational shift” (read: inclusive views on gender identity) has hurt “countless women” (read: cisgender women) and that her legislation will “provide equal opportunity for women and girls in high school and college sports.”
“Title IX is being weakened by some states who are misinterpreting Title IX, creating uncertainty, undue hardship and lost opportunities for female athletes,” she continued. “It is critical that the legacy of Title IX continues to ensure women and girls in sports have the opportunity to compete and excel on a level playing field.”
Title IX is a historic law that positively changed everything for women & girls. This video explains how, and why I introduced the Protect Women’s Sports Act – to clarify, uphold & strengthen the original intent of Title IX, ensuring a level playing field for girls & women. pic.twitter.com/B0647yCGmW
— Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) December 13, 2020
It’s unclear why Gabbard is pushing this piece of hateful legislation on her way out the door. Thankfully, the chances of it passing are slim to none.
Gabbard’s term ends on January 3, 2021.
Related: Kirstie Alley takes a break from promoting hydroxychloroquine to invite Tulsi Gabbard to hang out
Cam
Tulsi was always an anti-LGBTQ Republican plant. It just didn’t work this time because people were on guard after the Jill Stein debacle.
She just stopped pretending not to be a bigot now that she is leaving Congress.
rock9221
Exactly! None of this is even vaguely surprising.
barryaksarben
The gop attempt to use her to screw with the democratic primaries was so obvious and transparent as to be laughable. We saw through it and knew she hadnt changed. She is a pos and has reverted to her true beliefs which belong in the hate filled gop
Roy Ajax
It’s unfair to force women to play with trans women. Trans women would have a huge, inequitable advantage. Anyone who says otherwise is either ignorant or lying. Why not have a team specifically for trans women?
jjose712
Not a popular oppinion on this site, but it’s quite obvious.
I think trans people deserve all the rights, but competing with an obvious advantage is not a right.
The curious thing is trans men seem to want to compete on women’s competitions too
GlobeTrotter
@jjose712: Yeah, because they wouldn’t stand a chance competing against biological men.
barryaksarben
no one is forcing anyone to compete or not compete. IT IS JUST SPORTS and everyone should compete for fun.
GlobeTrotter
@barryaksarben: Ahm…professional athletes don’t compete “for fun”. They make herculean sacrifices and train their entire lives TO WIN. It’s a professional job that they do, and they’re dead serious while doing it!
Essie
I totally agree with you. It was obvious with that runner (can’t remember her name) who was trans. No woman had a chance when running with her. That has, thankfully been taken care of by people who were not fooled. And I remember Renee (whoever?), the tennis player from years ago. She was just an all around terrible player and had no chance against any of the great players but she caused havoc in qualifying and early rounds, for awhile. It’s just not fair. Deciding to be trans is fine with me but it’s unfair to women who play sports to allow a trans woman to compete against them.
Dick Gozinia
I agree with you.
Cam
What a shock, the troll account that always defends anti-LGBTQ bigots loves Tulsi.
Here’s a thought, when everybody has equal rights, I’ll start worrying about who’s on the field playing sports.
GlobeTrotter
Look, I support trans-rights, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, kumbaya etc., but anyone with an ounce of common sense can plainly see that it’s manifestly unfair to force biologically-born women to compete against biologically-born men, REGARDLESS of their gender or identity.
The average biologically-born man, after undergoing puberty, has on average of 166% to 200% more upper body strength than the average biologically-born woman. The average biologically-born man is also much taller, much larger and has much more muscle mass than the average biologically-born woman. This enables him to run faster, jump higher, lift heavier weights – he can literally snap a woman’s backbone in two, as is evident from the innumerable cases of domestic abuse reported each year.
A man taking female hormones and changing his identity to female does not do away with his larger size, larger muscle mass or considerable strength advantage. It is therefore undeniably UNFAIR for biologically born women to have to compete with trans women and the statistics prove it. In almost every sport involving trans women with biologically-born women, trans women easily come out on top, leaving biologically-born women a considerable distance behind.
That being said, everyone should have the right to train and compete, but that right should be limited to competing with your own sex and gender. Trans-women should therefore compete with other trans-women, and biologically-born women should compete against other biologically-born women. That’s the ONLY way to provide a level playing field and to ensure complete fairness.
mastik8
I know many people who are conflicted about this. Torn between supporting one community while feeling that they are somehow diminishing others.
trsxyz
Well said…
MHaumesser
Let’s not miss the big picture here, which is to always listen to want a politician has said in their past! Anything they said at the beginning of their political career is exactly how they feel today! So all these people that try to backpedal when they want something more from us we need to remember exactly who they are!
barryaksarben
TULSI is the same anot gay and anti trans hate filled pos she always has been and her sad attempt to mess with our primaries was a sick example of her lack of any ethics
jthomasmpls
If that’s true, that anything a politician said at the beginning of their political career is exactly how they feel today, then Obama and Biden are not friends to the LGBTQ+ community.
JessPH
Trans women are biologically male so they have bigger chest capacity. That alone gives them an unfair advantage and should disqualify them from competing in sports against cisgender women. This is not transphobia. This is science. This is fairness. This is equality.
Phillip
Many of us knew this woman was a liar when she pretended to start leaning liberal.
She’s was a homophobe before and one knows “A leopard cannot change its spots.”
She wasn’t fooling anyone which is why no one bought her “song and dance.”
She’s upset no one invited her to speak? They didn’t buy her lies either; she looked for reasons to vote with the Republicans when she had a chance, just check her record. Glad to see her leave; “Don’t let the door hit you in the arse.”
We are finally seeing the REAL PERSON.
amanwithanedge
to many of us, we knew she was a bigot long ago.
alex1435
Good riddance, she is a bigot.
scotshot
Why didn’t anyone let me know the Troll Party going on here today? One person writing under so many personas. Shoo! Scat!
CityguyUSA
No surprise here!
Cam
Tulsi is doing what all Republicans do. Deflecting from civil rights by using side non-issues. Bathrooms, sports, etc.