On Monday, Gallup released a new survey showing that fewer Americans support transgender athletes now than they did two years ago, and one professor and transgender activist is not exactly happy about that news.
The recent poll suggested that more Americans are against allowing transgender athletes to compete in sports according to their gender identity than two years ago. Likewise, a growing number of Americans think athletes should be required to compete against those matching the gender they were assigned at birth.
In an interview with USA Today, Z Nicolazzo – an associate professor of trans studies in education at the University of Arizona – claimed that this decline in support for trans athletes is a result of fearmongering rhetoric and anti-trans rhetoric.
She also implied that “scientific evidence” supports allowing transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity.
“It’s resonating with people regardless of what the scientific evidence demonstrates,” Nicolazzo said according to USA Today.
But Nicolazzo is not only angry at conservatives, she also blasted progressives and Democrats for not helping create “a pro-trans narrative.”
“They have not clearly come out and said we believe in science, and we believe that trans women are women and trans girls are girls,” she said. “Their silence is only aiding and abetting this doubling-down from the conservative movement.”
