Karine Jean-Pierre slams reporter for voicing concerns about males competing in women's sports
The White House Press Secretary claimed that it is dangerous to question the safety of allowing males to compete in women's sports.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday accused a reporter of characterizing transgender people as "dangerous" during a line of questioning about the safety concerns surrounding the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports.
During her daily press briefing with the White House press pool, EWTN White House correspondent Owen Jensen asked Jean-Pierre about the mounting concerns among parents of female athletes who are being forced to compete against biologically male competitors.
Jensen began his question by reading aloud a tweet from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who wrote that allowing biological males to compete in women's sports is "unfair, unsafe and wrong." He also cited a letter signed by 72 "elite female athletes" who argued that forcing them to compete against biological males is "not only unfair, but discriminatory and illegal."
MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE TRANS ATHLETES SHOULD COMPETE AGAINST THOSE WITH SAME BIOLOGICAL GENDER: POLL
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre defended transgender athletes in women and girls' sports.
"What would the president say to parents out there who have daughters, let's say in high school, for example, who are worried that their daughter may have to compete against a male, a person born male and they could be a direct and physically athletic competition, and worry about their daughter's safety," he continued.
Jean-Pierre, who earlier called the issue "complicated," then accused the reporter of characterizing transgender athletes as "dangerous."
"What you're alluding to is basically saying that transgender kids are dangerous... it sounds like that's what you're saying," she retorted.
Jensen tried to push back against the assertion, interjecting, "I didn't say that. This is strictly a safety question."
"Well, you're saying that their safety is at risk," Jean-Pierre responded. "You're laying out a kind of broad example or explanation of what could be potentially happening. That is dangerous. That is a dangerous thing to say that essentially transgender kids are dangerous.
University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines react after finishing tied for 5th in the 200 Freestyle finals at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on March 18th, 2022 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta Georgia. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"And so that’s something that I have to call out. That is irresponsible," she continued. "I had just laid out how complicated this issue is. I had just laid out why it’s complicated, and so anything that you have any additional questions, I refer you to the Department of Education. I’m gonna move on."
Transgender participation in sports has become a flashpoint in the sports world and in the political arena as women sports advocates cite unfair biological advantages which help males dominate their female competitors. The issue has also raised safety concerns among parents of female athletes, who fear their children could sustain lasting physical injuries if forced to compete against stronger biological males.
Female athletes have reported injuries after competing against biological men in women's athletic competition. North Carolina high school volleyball player Payton McNabb said she suffered from a concussion and neck injury last fall when she was spiked in the face by a transgender athlete.
Riley Gaines said she never called herself a feminist until taking up the battle of protecting fairness in women's sports after she tied against transgender swimmer Lia Thomas at last year's NCAA championships. (Fox News Digital)
The high school athlete called on state legislators to pass legislation to protect female sports in a press conference in April, where she revealed that she still suffers from "impaired vision, partial paralysis on my right side, constant headaches, as well as anxiety and depression."
"Due to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association policy of allowing biological males to compete against biological females my life has forever been changed," McNabb said at the time.
That same month, the Biden administration proposed new Title IX regulations on transgender people in schools. Under the department’s proposed rule, no school or college that receives federal funding would be allowed to impose a "one-size-fits-all" policy that categorically bans transgender students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Such policies would be considered a violation of Title IX.
Meanwhile, the "Save Women’s Sports" bill passed in the House April 20 with zero votes from Democrats. Republicans defended the bill as an attempt to spare women and girls from having to compete against transgender women and girls – biological males who can sometimes dominate these sports and prevent some female athletes from making the team. But several Democrats argued in debate that the GOP bill is an extension of the bullying that transgender students are already facing at school.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Biden has said vowed to veto the bill, despite a new Gallup poll released this week showing that a majority of Americans believe transgender athletes should play against those with the same biological gender.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.