I'm sure you've enjoyed seeing liberal news networks meltdown about Trump's victory this week, but there was another meltdown on CNN this week that wasn't about the election, at least not directly, that is worth watching. This one was over males playing women's sports.
It all started when Jay Michaelson, a rabbi and author of "God vs. Gay: The Religious Case For Equality," was lamenting the effectiveness of the Trump campaign's "anti-trans" ads. "Those ads were for the base, right?" he asked. "That was to motivate the base to get out there. And that base, that sort of that MAGA base and the sort of, I would call Christian nationalist base, they did show up. But I don't think that that is what motivated the swing voters to vote for Trump."
However, GOP operative Shermichael Singleton disagreed. "I don't think that's just for the base," he said. "I think there are a lot of families out there who, you know, don't believe boys should play girl sports."
And then Jay Michaelson just lost it.
“They’re not boys,” he interjected. “I’m not going to listen to transphobia at this table. I am not going to listen to you call a trans girl a boy, that is just not how it is.”
The panel immediately got heated, and Michaelson accused Singleton of using a slur.
“When you use a word that's a slur, I'm going to interrupt,” he said.
That’s when Abby Phillip tried to get the panel under control.
“Let's reset for a second because, look, this is a really heated issue, right? And, Shermichael, I know you. I know that you understand that people have different views on this. I think out of respect for Jay, like let's try to talk about this in a way that is respectful.”
“Okay. So, let me rephrase this since I'm being targeted here,” Singleton said.
“I don't—You're not… just to be clear, you are not being targeted,” Phillip claimed. “I'm specifically saying that I know that you are not intending to be transphobic.”
Singleton then insisted, accurately, that “regular people” see it exactly how he explained it, and not just the Trump base: that boys and men are playing women’s sports and don’t like it.
Michaelson’s disdain for “regular people” only became more apparent as he continued: “That’s not regular people. There’s no consensus that these are actually boys.” Really, Michaelson? No consensus? Because from where most people stand, biological sex is a reality that can’t be changed with plastic surgery and hormone injections.
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Singleton tried to explain how Republicans are using these issues effectively in ads because many Americans feel “Democrats are going way too much to the left on social issues.” But Michaelson brushed this off, dismissing the genuine concerns of parents and families as a “canard.” In Michaelson’s eyes, if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of biological males competing in female sports, you’re simply wrong — end of discussion.
When Singleton finally asked, “What’s the language you would prefer?” Michaelson deflected again, sticking to phrases like “trans girls playing with the people who are in their gender.”
Because people who pretend to be girls should be called girls? Hell no. I'm not going to pretend that boys and men who cut off their genitals are women. Not gonna do it. I'm not going to call them women because that's disrespectful to actual women.
Watch the whole thing:
"I am NOT going to listen to transphobia at this table!"
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) November 9, 2024
CNN panelist loses their mind over "slur" used by Republican strategist during trans sports debate. pic.twitter.com/5PXnSJW4A0
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