Stephen A's Take: When it comes sports, I agree with Trump’s Transgender policy.

Summary

The Stephen A. Smith Show: Summary of "Stephen A's Take: When it comes sports, I agree with Trump’s Transgender policy"

Release Date: February 6, 2025
Host: Stephen A. Smith
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

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1. Introduction to the Transgender Athlete Policy

At approximately [01:02], Stephen A. Smith dives directly into the pressing issue of transgender athletes in women's sports, aligning his discussion with a forthcoming executive order by President Trump. This policy aims to restrict transgender women and girls from competing in female sports categories, a move that has sparked widespread debate across various societal sectors.

Key Quote:
"We're gonna get back to President Trump because a new executive order he's expected to sign that would ban transgender athletes from competing in women's sports." ([01:02])

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2. Details of President Trump's Executive Order

Smith elaborates on the specifics of the anticipated executive order, titled "Keeping Men out of Women's Sports". According to [01:13], the order seeks to:

• Establish comprehensive mandates on sex and sports policy.
• Direct federal agencies, such as the Department of Justice, to interpret federal Title IX regulations.
• Prohibit transgender girls and women from participating in female sports categories.
• Enforce immediate compliance among schools and athletic associations that may deny single-sex sports or locker rooms.
• Guide state attorneys in identifying best practices for enforcing these mandates.

He references a White House document obtained by ABC News, highlighting the administration's stance that recognizes only two immutable sexes, male and female.

Key Quote:
"The order is titled, quote, keeping men out of Women's Sports, end quote... would prohibit the participation of transgender girls and women in female sports categories." ([01:13])

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3. Case Studies Highlighting the Issues

Smith presents specific instances to underscore the complexities and controversies surrounding transgender participation in women's sports:

• Leah Thomas, University of Pennsylvania Swimmer: Initially ranked between 350th to 400th in the world before transitioning to female, Smith notes her subsequent rise to the top position. ([03:26])

• San Jose State Volleyball Team: The team had to forfeit six games due to resistance from opponents over rumors of a transgender athlete on their squad. Smith criticizes the lack of substantial protest in this instance, emphasizing the minimal impact. ([05:07])

Key Quote:
"If you were born a male and you're transitioning into being a female, physically speaking, the facts show you have an unfair advantage. That's unfair to the ladies who were born ladies." ([10:34])

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4. Smith's Personal Views and Support for the LGBTQ Community

Despite his stance on the policy, Smith clarifies his broader support for the LGBTQ community:

• Support Without Apology: He asserts his agreement with President Trump's decision without feeling the need to apologize. ([02:35])

• Civil Rights Commitment: Smith emphasizes his dedication to fighting for civil liberties across all communities, including Black, heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, and transgender individuals. ([06:17])

Key Quote:
"I will fight on behalf of the LGBTQ community any day of the week. Just as much as I fight for the black community. Just as much as I fight for the heterosexual community." ([06:17])

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5. Comparison with Other Competitive Advantages

Smith draws parallels between the transgender athlete debate and other factors considered performance-enhancing in sports:

• Legal Substances: He argues that substances like weed can provide competitive advantages by calming nerves, thereby influencing performance during high-stakes moments. ([07:55])

• Unfair Physical Advantages: He maintains that transgender women who were biologically male possess inherent physical strengths that could give them an edge over cisgender female athletes, thus disrupting fairness in competition. ([08:37])

Key Quote:
"If you are a male and you are transitioning to a female, that is your business. I completely support that... But what does that have to do with you having the right to compete with females who were born female in their respective sport?" ([05:57])

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6. Policy Recommendations and Final Stance

Concluding his analysis, Smith offers clear recommendations on athletic competition structures:

• Separate Competitions: He advocates for transgender athletes to compete exclusively against other transgender individuals, while maintaining separate categories for male and female athletes. ([11:08])

• Non-Engagement in Demagoguery: Smith emphasizes that his critique is purely from a sports perspective, avoiding any form of disrespect or sensationalism. ([10:32])

Key Quote:
"Transgender athletes should compete against transgender athletes. Male should compete against male. Females should be competing against females. Very simple. That's where I stand with it." ([11:04])

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7. Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Stephen A. Smith presents a nuanced perspective, balancing his support for individual rights within the LGBTQ community with concerns over fairness in competitive sports. He acknowledges the complexity of civil liberties while advocating for policies that ensure equitable competition for all athletes.

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Notable Ignored Sections:

• Advertisements and Promotional Content: Segments promoting Discover Card, Greg Rosenthal's podcast, and Julie Swerbinks' new podcast "Energy Line with Nate and JSB" were omitted to focus solely on the substantive content of Smith's discussion.

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Key Takeaways

• Supportive yet Critical Stance: Smith supports the LGBTQ community but believes that existing transgender policies in sports may undermine gender equity.

• Focus on Fairness: Central to his argument is the principle of maintaining a level playing field in sports competitions.

• Call for Policy Clarity: He urges for clear distinctions in athletic competitions based on biological sex to preserve fairness.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the main discussions and viewpoints presented by Stephen A. Smith in his episode addressing Trump's transgender athlete policy, providing listeners with a clear understanding of his arguments and conclusions.

Transcript

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[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

We're gonna get back to President Trump because a new executive order he's expected to sign that would ban transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. That's the subject matter here.

Sources say.

The order is titled, quote, keeping men out of Women's Sports, end quote. That order will establish sweeping mandates on sex and sports policy and will direct and will direct federal agencies like the Department of Justice to interpret federal Title 9 rules. According to a White House document obtained by ABC News. The order would prohibit the participation of transgender girls and women in female sports categories. Sources say the executive order would also mandate immediate enforcement against schools and athletic associations that, quote, deny women single sex sports and single sex locker rooms, according to the document. The order will also direct state attorneys to identify best practices for enforcing the mandate. You may recall on his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order asserting the federal government recognizes only two sexes, male and female, and that, quote, these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality, end quote. President Trump is expected to sign an order on transgender athletes today, or was expected to sign it today at a ceremony featuring athletes, coaches and advocates who've campaigned against transgender participation in women's sports. Sources say more than 60 attendees will join the ceremony. Let's get a couple of things out of the way first.

First of all, although they're a member of the LGBTQ community, the reality is when you're talking about some of these.

Cases, there's a Handful of these cases existing in the United States. When you talk about transgender individuals, there's an argument. I don't know the specific number on this, but there's an argument that that doesn't even make a 1% of the population. Why do I bring that up? I bring that up for several reasons. Number one, to state the record straight, regardless of how anybody feels, I agree with the president's decision on this one. I'm not apologizing for that to anybody. I support the LGBTQ community. I told y'all, I'm conservative about a lot of things. I'm liberal about a lot of things. It's one of the things that I'm liberal about. I don't mind live and let live.

I ain't got no problem with that. Here's what I got a problem with. For years, when we're talking about Title 9 and we're talking about equity, gender equity, and we're talking about the women being treated on the same level as men, what was embedded in our brains was being protective of females, protective of their rights, similar to how we are with men. But then the transgender issue came into play, and then all of a sudden, we forgot about that. If I recall correctly, Leah Thomas, the swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, born a male, participating in swimming, she was ranked about 350th to 400th in the world. She transitioned to a woman. She number one. That's an accident, really. Now, there was another case involved in San Jose State and the volleyball team, and there wasn't even that. It wasn't even a bunch of protesters out or anything like that. But they had to forfeit, like, six games because people refused to play with them because there was rumors of a transgender athlete on their squad. And we're talking volleyball here. And I get that. I remember one time Dave Chappelle said this joke. It's Dave Chappelle now. It's not me. It's not me. It's him. He said all of this argument about transgender not having any kind of effect whatsoever, and he was basically alluding to wanting to shut people up. He said, I would love if one day LeBron James woke up and said, I'm transgender.

I want to be. You know, I believe I'm a female, he said.

So he can average 800 points a.

Game in the WNBA.

That was Dave Chappelle's joke.

That's not mine. One other point to make that's very, very important.

Why don't we ever hear about someone.

Being born female, transitioning to male to play one of the male dominated sports.

You notice how we never hear that? Why not? I'm just asking. I mean, inquiring minds want to know, what am I missing.

My point is, where's the same noise about protecting ladies? That's my issue with this.

If you are a male and you.

Are transitioning to a female, that is your business. I completely support that you're an adult. I completely support that you do what you have to do.

But what does that have to do.

With you having the right to compete with females who were born female in their respective sport?

See, it hits me because. And I've often said this to a.

Lot of people, I've said this to black folks. I've said this to folks whether you're.

Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgender. I don't care. You know what I've said? Oftentimes when you're talking about civil rights and civil liberties for every human being out here, that is a fight worth fighting for. I will fight on behalf of the LGBTQ community any day of the week. Just as much as I fight for the black community. Just as much as I fight for the heterosexual community. I don't care. Right is right. When it comes to your civil liberties, you know what you don't have the right to do? Insist that everybody likes you. Insist that everybody likes and is receptive.

To what you want them to be receptive to.

There are plenty of issues that are going on in this country where we see a particular issue and, you know what we say to one another, fine, live your life.

Just don't throw it in my face.

Whatever that may be. I remember one time when Michael Sam was being affectionate with somebody, I was like, get a room. But I said that to two heterosexual couples too. In other words, live your life fine. But people got a right to want to see what they want to see and don't want to see what they don't want to see. Who cares? But with something like this, let me.

Be very, very clear. You're competing in sports. There can be no unfair advantage. I can simplify for you.

Do you know what else I'm against in sports? Weed. I happen to think that that's a performance enhancer. Now, y'all, did Stephen A. Come on, Stephen A.

You tripping.

Come on, Stephen A.

You tripping.

Wait a minute. Competing in sports involves nerves. Some people get nervous, they get jittery. Clock, 2 minutes left in the game. Championship on the line. The ball is in your hands, and suddenly it's a little bit slippery. Suddenly you panicking. Suddenly, you shifting, you don't have the poise and the control that you're accustomed to having. Early in the game, it doesn't exist. But when it gets thick, all of a sudden your ass get nervous.

But if you smoking weed, your nerves aren't as rattled. All of a sudden, there's a calm that kicks in. And the kind of stuff that phases people normally suddenly might not phase you.

If that is the effect that some. That it has on some people by virtue of smoking weed, that is an advantage. That is an advantage. Anything is my point. That gives you any kind of an advantage, whether it's weed, with what I just brought up, whether it's how you were born as a male, as you transition to being a female, it's not just about you. It's about the detrimental effect it has on your competition. If you were born a male, conceivably genetically, you are believed to have a level of strength that the other side may not have. That's an advantage. That's not speaking against anybody from that community. That's not casting dispersions on anybody. It's literally an unfair advantage. If you were born a male and you're transitioning into being a female, physically speaking, the facts show you have an unfair advantage. That's unfair to the ladies who were born ladies. It's not fair. That's all I'm saying. Nothing more than that. Anything else Trump or anybody else tries to throw into the equation, we're not going for that. We're not going to cast dispersions, we're not going to disrespect, we're not going to engage in demagoguery. We're not doing that.

Not on this show.

I'm only talking about from a sports perspective, you being a male and transitioning to being a female and participating in female sports, you have a decidedly unfair advantage.

That's all I'm saying.

That is why I have no problem.

With this decision by. By President Trump.

Transgender athletes should compete against transgender athletes.

Male should compete against male. Females should be competing against females. Very simple. That's where I stand with it. That's all I'm saying.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday Keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Swerbinks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

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[Julie Swerbinks]

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[Discover Card Representative]

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[Julie Swerbinks]

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[Julie Swerbinks]

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