Jen Psaki Shuts Down Fox Reporter’s Question About Trans Girls Competing in High School Sports: ‘Trans Rights are Human Rights’
When Fox News Radio White House correspondent Rachel Sutherland raised an issue about President Joe Biden’s executive order combating anti-LGBTQ discrimination, press secretary Jen Psaki swatted the question away by channeling former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
At Tuesday’s White House daily briefing, Sutherland raised an issue that’s popular with opponents of trans women in sports, and referenced President Biden’s Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, signed on his first day in office.
“On President Biden’s transgender rights executive action, specifically when it applies to high school sports, what message would the White House have to trans girls and cis girls who may end up competing against each other, it’s sparking some lawsuits and concern among parents, so does this administration have guidance for schools in dealing with the issue arising over trans girls competing against and with cis girls?” Sutherland asked.
The order states that “Children should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports.”
It also states that laws like Title IX that prohibit gender discrimination also “prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation, so long as the laws do not contain sufficient indications to the contrary.”
“I’m not sure what your question is,” Psaki said, and as Sutherland added, “The president’s executive order has…” Psaki interrupted.
“I’m familiar with the order, but what was your question about it?” Psaki asked.
“The question is, does the president have a message for local school officials in dealing with these kinds of disputes that are already starting to arise between trans girls who are competing against cis girls, and a level playing field, particularly in high school sports when it leads to college scholarships. Is there any kind of messaging or clarification that the White House wants to give on the executive order?” Sutherland said.
“I would just say that the president’s belief is that trans rights are human rights, and that’s why he signed that executive order,” Psaki said, and added, “In terms of the determinations by universities and colleges I would certainly defer to them.”
State and local authorities already set their own eligibility policies under existing law.
Watch the clip above via The White House.
