Arizona's Sen. Ruben Gallego says trans athletes should 'find other activities'

[Mosby]

Sen. Ruben Gallego sided with many conservatives — including President Donald Trump — in calling for “a separation” in girls’ sports based on biology that would exclude transgender athletes.

Gallego, D-Arizona, told The Dispatch that “there are some sports that some of these trans children should not be playing.”

"As a parent of a daughter, I think it’s legitimate that parents are worried about the safety of their daughters, and I think it’s legitimate for us to be worried also about fair competition,” he continued.

The comments came in a May 29 interview pondering his presidential prospects for 2028.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2025/05/30/ruben-gallego-says-trans-athletes-should-find-other-activities/83929450007/
😯

[atreides1]

1. Well

Thank you Senator Sinema 2.

[marble falls]

2. Shocked Rubin would say this. I'd have had no problems with trans kids competing against my kids ...

... the problem I fear has nothing to with sexual behavior. The problem I have is with parents who put athletic competition in front of everything else. The lessons and payback in athletics has to with character development vs the gleam in the eyes of parents to have trophies on the mantle that will contribute to very little percent to the lives and careers of their kids.

[tulipsandroses]

4. I know a lot of kids don't play outside anymore, but when I was a kid, boys and girls played together.

We played tag, baseball. I don't remember my mom dragging me away because she was scared one of the boys would tag me too hard.
I also was on the track team, and in practice, the boys and girls raced against each other. I was faster than most of the boys on the team. The 2 fastest on the team were 2 boys, then another girl, then myself.

Much of this is poppycock. Especially if we are just talking about kids just being able to play together. And going back to the big picture, most kids are not going to be professional athletes. I would worry more about being able to afford education for your child. The quality of education they will receive. The air they breathe.

[tulipsandroses]

6. And another thing that boils my blood about this hysteria is that it has nothing to do with protecting girls and in fact

does the opposite. Girls are judged on how " feminine" they look. I remember the Williams sisters being accused of being men when they started out. Symone Biles was judged for her more muscular appearance as well, she wasn't "tiny and dainty" like traditional gymnasts. Parents are accusing little girls of being boys when their child's team loses.
I've seen the criticism of girls' bodies first hand when they don't meet some people's criteria. My niece plays basketball. One girl on the team went through a growth spurt and is taller than all the other girls. In the stands, I could hear parents of the opposing team talking about this child's body. It is sickening. She can't be the same age as the other girls or she must have gotten "left back" .
Why can't a kid just be a damn kid and play without all these adults and their bullshit?

I'm sorry, if you are that afraid of your kid getting hurt, then keep them inside. There will always be another kid faster, stronger, taller. Are you going to complain every time they get knocked down?

[tulipsandroses]

3. Why can't they ask the interviewer why they are so concerned about something that will not affect the vast majority of

Americans. Trans folks make up less than 1% of the population. Trans athletes are a tiny fraction of athletes. Why are you so concerned about that?
I would rather talk about things that affect all Americans. - You know healthcare, jobs, clean air, water, cost of living, affordable housing, cost of education.
You would think that they would have become more adept at answering this question by now.

And by the way, if we are so concerned about student athletes

An estimated 300 000 sport-related traumatic brain injuries, predominantly concussions, occur annually in the United States (US).1,2 In fact, for young people ages 15 to 24 years, sports are second only to motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of traumatic brain injury.1 Studies of high school and collegiate athletes indicating that cumulative effects may result from 3 or more concussive episodes highlight the seriousness of sport-related concussions.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2140075/#:~:text=high%20school%20athletes.-,An%20estimated%20300%20000%20sport%2Drelated%20traumatic%20brain%20injuries%2C%20predominantly,the%20United%20States%20(US).&text=In%20fact%2C%20for%20young%20people,cause%20of%20traumatic%20brain%20injury.

Your daughter is more at risk of having a concussion/TBI than being hurt by a trans kid.

[IbogaProject]

5. All ten or just some fraction?

What a waste of time. There are only 10 transexual NCAA athletes I'd be willing to bet some of them were actually born intersex. There was the one swimmer who only transitioned hormonally at University. But if if that one case was an issue only that NCAA division and its own athletes should be involved. This is a dangerous distraction instead of protecting this community from the GOP scapegoating and religious fearmongering that goes against what is known medically and biologically. We all start female and then differentiate into male & female and there are numerous ways those lines get blurred during development, and that doesn't cover mental orientation.
Come on Senator stay focused on healthcare for all and dont buy into this GOP distraction.

[Kali]

7. very disappointing

[AzTired64]

8. Cursed seat

What is happening here, someone is elected to this seat and lose their minds. WTF