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Better article/source, Erin in the Morning: "Texas Dem. Senate Candidate Talarico Clarifies He Still Opposes Statewide Ban On Trans Athletes" (arc)
Texas’s state Rep. James Talarico, who is running for Senate, has clarified his stance on equal rights protections for trans athletes during a Sept. 24 interview at The Texas Tribune Festival. Talarico sat down for a one-on-one live event with The Tribune’s Matthew Watkins.
“You say, ‘I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness,” the moderator said. “This contrasts with your vote on SB 15 that banned this practice statewide. Have you changed positions on this topic?”
“No, my position is exactly the same,” Talarico jumped in. “The reason I opposed that bill is because it was a blanket statewide ban without any appreciation for nuance.”
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“I supported an amendment to that bill to allow local officials—education officials, local sports officials—to decide on an athlete by athlete, sport by sport basis, if there’s safety and fairness. That has always been my North Star and it’s gonna continue to be my North Star,” he continued.
“I’m also always gonna stand up to politicians who bully students, who bully kids, to score political points. My faith teaches me that every child is made in the image of God. And so I’m always gonna push back against efforts to grandstand, when it comes to our students, and I’ll always fight to make sure … every sport is safe and fair.”
“Those are not mutually exclusive goals,” Talarico concluded. “That’s exactly what I did in the state house. It’s exactly my position now. It’ll be my position in the US Senate.”