Kansas Democrat Stands Against Inclusion of Transgender Women and Girls in Gender-Based Sports Teams
TOPEKA, Kan. – The head of the LGBTQ+ caucus for the Kansas Democratic Party called U.S. House candidate Nancy Boyda’s resistance to transgender women playing sports in organized programs for girls or women “hateful garbage.”
In a statement about her bid for Congress in the 2nd District, Boyda said she didn’t like it when transgender girls joined sports teams with other girls. In an interview, she made it clear that her main goal was to keep transgender women who had gone through puberty out of groups that were only for girls or women.
Brandie Armstrong, chair of the state party’s caucus, said that Boyda’s choice to go against the Kansas Democratic Party’s platform and not allow transgender girls to compete with other girls meant that the caucus had to back Boyda’s opponent in the August primary. Armstrong said Boyda’s campaign speech used transgender children as a political target in the campaign.
Armstrong said, “We usually don’t back a candidate unless they are LGBTQ+ in a primary.” “But at the beginning of her statement, she tries to come across as an ally, but then it quickly turns into transphobia.” That’s not okay, and we’re not going to stand by and let her say hurtful things without giving her any trouble.
Armstrong said that the Democratic caucus backed Matt Kleinmann, a community health development worker from Kansas City, Kansas. He went to college and played basketball at the University of Kansas.
Kleinmann said that the support from the caucus was welcomed. He said that he thought President Joe Biden’s government should do something to protect transgender rights. He thought it was great that Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a bill that would have made it illegal for transgender girls and women to play on teams with other girls and women. He said that groups and leagues for transgender youth should make choices about their participation in sports at the local level.
Kleinmann said, “Contrary to what my opponent said, my goal is to build a future Kansas that works toward our shared goals and is a welcoming place for everyone to thrive.” “No one should be treated unfairly by us.”
He said that the 2024 campaign for Congress should focus on lowering the cost of living, raising the minimum wage, making housing and health care more reasonable, and protecting the right to have children.