ESPN star Stephen A Smith makes stance on trans inclusion in women's sports clear

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ESPN star Stephen A. Smith made his stance on trans inclusion in girls and women’s sports clear during an interview on radio row in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

Smith appeared in an interview for Bloomberg last week to talk about his political aspirations. The clip was published on Saturday. He said he considered himself to be a "centrist" when it came to political leanings, but when it came to trans athletes playing in women’s sports, that’s where he took a different line.

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Sadie Schreiner holds a transgender flag after finishing third in the finals of the 200m race at the NCAA DIII outdoor track and field championships on May 25, 2024. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

"So that’s how I look at it. LGBTQ rights and all that stuff, I’m in full support of that, but when transgender athletes, men are transitioning to women and they’re competing in female sports, that’s a different animal to me," he said.

"That’s not just about LGBTQ rights. That’s about prying on the rights of females out there everywhere who were born female, and they’re at a decided disadvantage."

Smith’s stance came as President Donald Trump signed an executive order to bar transgender athletes from competing against women and girls.

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Stephen A. Smith on the ESPN NBA Countdown live set at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, on Oct. 23, 2024.