Aides to California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a private meeting with Democratic lawmakers and discouraged them from introducing any pro-LGBTQ+ legislation, Politico reports.
According to three anonymous sources who have direct knowledge of the meetings, a private gathering was held in January in which Newsom’s chief of staff, Nathan Barankin, and Legislative Affairs Secretary Christine Aurre pushed for the suppression of trans issues reaching the governor’s desk.
Members of the California Legislature’s LGBTQ Caucus ignored the directive and proposed a flurry of bills addressing LGBTQ+ rights anyway.
Gov. Newsom has recently come under scrutiny following the appearance of right-wing extremist Charlie Kirk on Newsom’s new podcast. Newsom ceded to aligning with Kirk’s views on transgender athletes in women’s sports, claiming that trans women and girls participating in sports matching their gender identity is “deeply unfair”.
News of the backroom directive came as a shock to Newsom’s supporters, including Dr. Kathryn J. Perkins, the Department Chair of Political Science at California State University, Long Beach, who specializes in LGBTQ+ laws and politics.
Perkins said she was “blindsided” by the governor’s new tack, in an interview with Erin in the Morning.
“Newsom’s reputation was built on his decision as San Francisco mayor to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and he was one of the most prominent Democrats to take early pro-LGBT positions — not just on marriage, but also on trans rights,” Perkins said.
Perkins expressed concern that Newsom’s pivot would call into question whether local officials will enforce existing laws protecting transgender people.
“That only matters if we have state leaders who have the courage and legal backing to say, ‘This is our state law, we’re going to defend it,’” Dr. Perkins added.
California state Rep. Christopher Ward (D) also expressed disappointment with Newsom backpedaling on LGBTQ+ rights.
“We woke up profoundly disappointed and sickened, when you have someone, who has been thoughtful and has been a very unwavering ally, release a statement like that,” Ward said of Newsom’s trans athletes comments.
“This is playing into a lot of the conversation that Donald Trump is obsessing about in order to distract us.”
Members of California Equality, a non-profit LGBTQ+ rights advocacy organization that works with lawmakers, have also denounced Newsom’s comments.
“We are profoundly disappointed and angered by Governor Newsom’s comments about transgender youth and their ability to participate in sports — instead of standing strong, the governor has added to the heartbreak and fear caused by the relentless barrage of hate from the Trump administration,” said the group’s executive director, Tony Hoang.
California Equality Communications Director Jorge Reyes Salina acknowledged that “Newsom has had a strong record of supporting LGBTQ+ rights,” but the recent developments raised concern regarding his commitment to protecting them.
“We just want to make sure that he is reaffirming his commitment to every single letter of that — including the transgender community. California needs leaders who will stand firm in protecting the rights and dignity of transgender youth, and not waiver under political pressure,” Salina said.
Newsom is widely regarded as a frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, and the implications for the future of trans rights could extend beyond the Golden State.
“It opens up space for lots of other Democratic presidential candidates to take the same position — it can lead to a potential shift in the national political landscape at the very time when the trans community is most vulnerable,” Perkins said.
A spokesperson for the governor told Erin in the Morning that Newsom is committed to “productive conversations with the LGBTQ Caucus to advance legislation, including important measures supporting the health, safety, and well-being of transgender Californians.”
