Karine Jean-Pierre epically shuts down reporter claiming trans kids are dangerous

Out White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had no time for a reporter trying to imply that trans girls on sports teams are putting their cis teammates in danger.

The reporter asked what President Joe Biden would say to parents “who have daughters… who are worried that their daughter may have to compete against a male, a person born male… and worry about their daughter’s safety?”

Related:

Here’s how the Biden administration plans to fight trans sports bans

While advocates are hopeful Biden’s proposals will help trans kids, many say it has taken too long for the administration to take action.

Jean-Pierre immediately shut down the question and defended trans youth.

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“What you’re alluding to is basically saying that transgender kids are dangerous,” she said. “You’re laying out a broad example or explanation of what could potentially happen… That is dangerous.”

“That is a dangerous thing to say, that essentially transgender – kids we’re talking about – are dangerous. So that’s something that I have to call out. That is irresponsible.”

The reporter tried to argue with her interpretation of the question, but she wouldn’t let him interject and instead moved on.

Before the heated exchange, the reporter had quoted a tweet from Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) that blasted trans women in women’s sports as “unsafe” and “wrong.”

“In the light of this administration’s proposed changes to Title IX, does the White House worry about the physical safety of females directly competing against males in sports?” the reporter asked.

Jean-Pierre acknowledged this is a “complicated issue” with a “wide range of views.” She said the Department of Education’s proposed rule gives schools the flexibility to establish their own athletic policies while establishing guardrails to prevent discrimination against transgender kids.”

She emphasized it was a proposed rule for which the public has had the ability to provide comments.

The proposed rule change would allow K-12 schools and universities to limit the participation of transgender athletes in sports while also forbidding schools from banning trans athletes altogether. It would generally allow trans elementary school students to play on sports teams matching their gender identities. However, higher school levels could ban trans students from certain sports if they claim it’s to preserve “fairness” or avoid the possibility of sports-related injuries.

Many trans activists criticized the administration for the compromise and for bending to the will of anti-trans folks.