Bill Maher hails Gavin Newsom's 'tack to the center' on trans athletes in women's sports: 'I love it'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bill Maher has applauded California Governor Gavin Newsom for his recent shift on the controversial issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. 

The "switch" came after Newsom expressed agreement with conservative figure Charlie Kirk on the topic of trans athletes, making headlines this week for his outspoken stance against biological men competing in women’s sports.

Bill Maher praised Gavin Newsom's shift on trans athletes competing in women's sports

Bill Maher praised California Governor Gavin Newsom for his recent shift on the controversial issue of biological men competing in women’s sports, Fox News reported. During a panel discussion on Friday, March 7, Maher expressed his approval, saying, “I do love this because I do think he's a great politician.” 

He continued, “I know 'He's slick.' Yeah, they said the same thing about Clinton. He's a great politician. He's really smart. You can talk great, chicks dig them, and I've always been saying if he would just tack to the center. Well, it happened this week.”

Maher highlighted Newsom’s frustration with the focus on gender pronouns, recalling, “He said, ‘I had one meeting where people started going around the table with pronouns. And I said, What the hell? Why is this the biggest issue?’” 

Maher added, “Well, Gavin, like two weeks ago, it was the biggest issue for you, but I don't care! I don't care! You made the switch, and I love it! That's what I'm saying. You made the switch, and I love it!”

Maher also criticized President Donald Trump’s reputation as the “common sense” candidate and blasted Senate Democrats for blocking a bill that would ban biological males from competing in women’s sports despite overwhelming public support. Maher said, “It’s such a mistake."

Maher chuckled when he learned that Newsom’s podcast was inspired by him. “I'm just telling the news. It's not that it's about me,” Maher quipped. "He provocative HBO ‘Real Time’ host who leans Democratic but has increasingly taken flak from progressives in recent years over his eagerness to criticize the party’s 'woke' left flank.' That's true. Hey- they wrote a sentence about me in the press, and they got it completely right!"

What did Gavin Newsom say about transgender athletes in women’s sports?  

In the debut episode of the California governor's 'This is Gavis Newsome' podcast, he was joined by conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk, who raised a controversial point about transgender athletes in women’s sports. 

Kirk, a prominent figure in the MAGA movement and ally of President Donald Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr, told Newsom, "The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen." 

Kirk, the leader of the influential Turning Point USA youth organization, urged Newsom to take a stand, asking, "You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?"

Newsom responded, "Well, I think it's an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair."

Kirk further questioned Newsom if he would condemn the recent victory of a transgender track athlete at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California, who made a jump exceeding 40 feet. Newsom, however, did not directly address the specific case and instead reiterated, "It's a fairness issue." 

Notably, Newsom has long been an advocate for LGBTQ+ causes and was ahead of many in his party on these issues, supporting such causes well over two decades ago, according to Fox News.