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Outkick - 'Tucker Carlson Completely Misses Point On Transgender Athletes In Women's Sports'

33 replies

UtopiaPlanitia · 13/07/2025 21:07

I saw this article linked to on TwiX and thought I’d post it here. The writer argues that all politicians should pay attention to the strength of feeling in society about men and boys being allowed to play in female sports. It’s an interesting argument from the centre-right perspective about the importance of fairness for women and girls:

https://www.outkick.com/sports/tucker-carlson-misses-point-transgender-athletes-womens-sports

Tucker Carlson Completely Misses Point On Transgender Athletes In Women's Sports

The conservative political pundit says the issue is unimportant in light of bigger problems facing the country

…The problem isn't just that some males compete in women's sports. Yes, it's terrible that women are forced to share locker rooms and bathrooms with men in the name of gender ideology. Or have to sacrifice their athletic opportunities. But it's the root of why that's happening that underscores the insidiousness of the issue.

Republicans focusing on this issue, and having the overwhelming majority of Americans agree with them, is an extremely important cultural victory that has already started to change the narrative.

Many Americans look the other way while Democrat-run cities fall into complete disarray thanks to drugs, mental illness, homelessness and general mismanagement. But when Democrats say that boys can be girls and that they can use whatever bathroom they choose and compete against whomever they want, Americans are standing up and saying, "Enough!"

Adults Acting Like Adults
This is about much more than just keeping men out of women's sports. It's a signal that the adults in the room are finally starting to act like adults. The days of letting your kid eat ice cream, play video games and contribute nothing are over. It's time to teach them personal responsibility and, sometimes, that means being the bad guy – at least at the moment….

Tucker Carlson Completely Misses Point On Transgender Athletes In Women's Sports

Political pundit Tucker Carlson gave a speech during a Turning Point USA event where he dismissed transgender athletes competing in women's sports as unimportant and it's a misinformed take.

https://www.outkick.com/sports/tucker-carlson-misses-point-transgender-athletes-womens-sports

OP posts:
NumberTheory · 14/07/2025 02:00

I tend to agree that Carlson isn't a particularly nuanced thinker on most ideology, but his main point on this is, I think, the same as Starmers in many ways i.e. -

Winning on Gender Ideology isn't going to make people big supporters. Other issues in politics are what will really swing people. If your streets are full of homeless people, you have less money in your pocket, and crime soars, no one's going to care enough that their daughter won sports day.

Starmer's basically the same - he may have an opinion on what's right or wrong on gender ideology (though god know what it is) but he doesn't see it as a vote winner. He's sees it as peripheral and distracting from what he does want to focus on.

And I think they're both mainly correct in that power is not going to swing to the party that says the right thing about gender ideology. Wins on that front will be temporary and fleeting and the vast majority of people aren't going to vote for it if they think they'll get more money/stability voting the other way. It isn't a priority for most voters even if it is for me.

TempestTost · 14/07/2025 00:04

illinivich · 13/07/2025 22:40

I suspose the worry for people who voted Trump on a number of issues, is that gender is the only issue thats going to be soved.

Critics are going to say tackling trans ideology is not going to solve homelessness or immigration, or a variety of other issues.

This could be the case. There are a host of things that people on the right are concerned about, and lots of them are serious. But not always as easy, conceptually, as tans issues.

I don't think it's unusual for people on the political right in the US to be concerned about women's sports though. Right wing people play sports as much as anyone else.

illinivich · 13/07/2025 22:40

I suspose the worry for people who voted Trump on a number of issues, is that gender is the only issue thats going to be soved.

Critics are going to say tackling trans ideology is not going to solve homelessness or immigration, or a variety of other issues.

Original poster
UtopiaPlanitia · 13/07/2025 22:14

Carlson is such a strange man, he can swing between seeming as thick as champ and seeming moderately intelligent. He came across as more understanding of the issues facing women when he interviewed Kara Dansky too.

I was very pleased to see a commentator from the US political right pointing out that female sport being colonised by men and boys is not just a fringe issue.

Oliver Brown in The Telegraph is very good in writing about the issue and I’m pleased to see this sort of article being published in the US.

OP posts:
SionnachRuadh · 13/07/2025 21:49

To be fair, from what I've seen of Turning Point events, the speaker going off on a bit of a rant is built into the format.

Carlson's podcast, where he does long interviews with people who know things that he doesn't, is where you catch him in a more thoughtful and listening mode. He interviewed Riley Gaines when he was an anchor - if Riley's people could get her an hour on his pod instead of five minutes on a news show, then you'd probably see a step change in his understanding, as well as the value of getting Riley in front of his audience.

illinivich · 13/07/2025 21:42

I agree with the author.

But i dont think carlson catches the depth of many issues. Unless he's more focused on engagement than anything else?

I do think its easy to underestimate the impact of trans ideology on the US public. Its more far reaching than sport.

Original poster
UtopiaPlanitia · 13/07/2025 21:36

In my reading of the article, the writer described Carlson’s words as a rant and stated that Carlson is ignoring the fact that Genderism is a far deeper cultural issue.

What did you think about the argument in favour of politicians supporting women and girls in keeping their sports free of males?

OP posts:
HPFA · 13/07/2025 21:20

Its not "centre right" to quote approvingly someone complaining about the "smell" of halal food.

There is nothing about halal meat that smells different to other meat - its a pretty obvious dog whistle.

As for punishing the homeless for the crime of being homeless....well.....

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