After alienating Democratic voters with baseless claims that the Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act would enable pedophiles to conduct genital exams on young girls, the two most prominent figures on the left in the House are not taking up the issue.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezD.N.Y. They were among 206 Democrats who voted against a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing against girls and women last week.
Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez pushed baseless claims that girls would be subjected to genital examinations by child predators. There is no language in the bill referring to genital exams, and Republicans say proof of the baby's sex can be determined through a birth certificate.
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Jeffries and Ocasio-Cortez did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Fox News Digital regarding their arguments, and the subsequent backlash from Democratic voters who said they would leave the party in response to arguments and statements suggesting a majority of Democrats oppose transgender people. Inclusion in women's sports.
However, Ocasio-Cortez addressed the culture wars idea of trans people being a distraction during an interview on “Daily show” Thursday.
“When we allow ourselves to constantly be distracted by these culture wars around trans people, it's something new every day, and the answer is not that we allow these people to be attacked, it's that we say, 'What are you doing? Man?' “I think we need to make defending these people such an afterthought that it's not even a discussion,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“We need to understand and see the bait for what it is, but not fall for the bait by letting those rights erode and fall by the wayside.”
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Ocasio-Cortez's suggestion that the party should make transgender protections an afterthought comes after she delivered a speech in defense of transgender people and opposition to the Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act on the floor of the House of Representatives last week.
Her rant sparked widespread ridicule, and Democrats have since spoken of their distaste for her and the party's handling of the issue.
Prominent Rutgers law professor Gary Francione, a lifelong Democrat and gay rights advocate, told Fox News Digital that he left the Democratic Party in response to his opposition to the bill.
“It made me very upset because it screamed lack of integrity and lack of honesty,” Francione told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. “This is how you fight battles? By trying to insult other people who oppose you and disagree with you and insinuate that they are pedophiles or pedophiles? It seems to me like you've lost the game…. I don't know how they're going to come back from this.”
Francione said many other Democrats in his law and education network share his disdain for the party's response to the bill and will also leave the party.
“I can say with confidence about the people I know who are Democrats that I've talked to, the vast majority of them are very dissatisfied with all of these things and feel like the party has lost its way,” Francione said. “I know a couple who said they were going to (unenroll).”
Voter registration data indicates the party is losing members in Francione's home state of Pennsylvania. However, no specific information is available about the cause. Prominent political organizer Scott Pressler announced on X that voter registration data shows the number of Democratic voters dropped by 24,867 from January 14 to January 21, the week following the House session.
Only two Democrats joined the Republican majority in voting in favor of the bill, namely Representatives Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, both from Texas. Their decision to break with the rest of the party and vote to protect women and girls in sport reflects the growing position of many voters in their own party and independents, according to recent data.
Modern New York Times/Ipsos Poll It found that the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not believe transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people surveyed, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democratic or leaned Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women.
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The Women and Girls in Sports Protection Act is headed to the Senate after passing the House, and will need more votes from Democrats to get past the filibuster and move to President Donald Trump's desk.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee He told Fox News Digital In an exclusive interview, she expects and hopes the bill will get the Democratic votes it needs to pass the Senate.
“I expect there will be. I hope there will be,” she said.
“Many of my Democratic friends will tell you that they believe Title IX is a fait accompli, and that having biological males running against women is inappropriate. And they want opportunities for their daughters or nieces or granddaughters. And it's frustrating for them when I hear about or see a transgender man playing In a women's or girls' league.
Blackburn added that she had “no idea” what Democrats who proposed the law that would subject girls to genital exams were thinking when they made that argument.
“I find it very hard to believe that protecting girls in sport would have such a negative impact,” Blackburn said. “Looking at the content of the bill is the best way to argue against it and know that the vast majority of Americans support protecting girls in girls’ sports.”
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