N.J. Sen. Paul Sarlo, a Democrat, makes transphobic claims

Paul Sarlo
Paul Sarlo. (Photo: njleg.state.nj.us)

“The Democratic Party failed miserably,” said New Jersey State Senator Paul Sarlo. “It’s very simple. Males shouldn’t be participating in women’s sports — whether it’s at the rec level, the high school level, the collegiate level. Period. That’s the end.”

Sarlo made those comments during an interview on State Of Affairs With Steve Adubato which aired on Dec. 21, 2024 on PBS. The conversation began with Adubato asking “what went wrong” for Democrats in Sarlo’s “working-class, middle-class district” who Adubato believed voted for Donald Trump.

Sarlo, who represents the 36th legislative district, said that Republicans framed issues in a way that appealed to voters’ fears.

Kamala Harris lost the presidential election by 2.8 percentage points in Passaic County — a county which Sarlo partially represents. But Passaic County also offered the most support for Jill Stein, a progressive, than any other county in New Jersey. This made progressives and conservatives neck-and-neck — not a county full of Trump supporters.

Many of the voters in his district and the surrounding region actually voted for Harris, who won by multiple percentage points in Sarlo’s Bergen County and by landslides in multiple surrounding counties.

Still, Adubato and Sarlo focused on their perceived failings of the Democratic party — starting with Sarlo’s belief that the party needs to “move back to the middle” and embrace a more “practical, moderate” approach to politics.

“That’s what I’m all about. We can’t get caught up on some of these really, really left, woke issues,” he said. “Let’s get back to the basics.”

“You agree with me! I know you agree with me!” Sarlo said to Adubato, who noted it’s his job not to express his views as an interviewer.

But Adubato’s biases were clear.

“Why do some of your colleagues — and again, it’s not a meat-and-potatoes economic issue — but when asked the question, ‘Should men who or people who were previously men, who are born as a man who transitions to be a woman’ — that they should not compete in women’s sports,” Adubato fumbled. “Why is that a controversial issue?”

Sarlo explained his stance, calling trans women “males,” before Adubato attempted to move the conversation to another topic.

“I’m not afraid to say it,” interjected Sarlo, who sits on the executive committee of theNew Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), the organization that oversees New Jersey high school sports. “I feel strongly about that, and I think if we just talked a little bit more straight up — a little more practical and common sense — we could’ve did much better at the polls. Elections have consequences.”

The discussion, which dehumanized trans athletes — reducing them into a political talking point, is a startling reminder that even Democrats do not necessarily understand or aim to protect the trans community — including kids. The rhetoric aligns with the narrative that anti-trans conservatives promote — reminding advocates that LGBTQ+ rights are at risk even in blue states.

“Hearing Democratic leaders share such problematic statements and misinformed statements about [trans people] is really upsetting,” said Jamie Bruesehoff of South Jersey, who is the parent of a trans teenager who played school sports.

“Because it’s about a lot more than sports,” she underlined. “It’s about understanding and naming that transgender girls are girls and transgender women are women — and that they aren’t villains. They’re human beings who deserve that level of inclusion — to be full members of their school community.”

Bruesehoff said her daughter, who played field hockey for eight years, had a positive experience with supportive coaches and teammates.

“New Jersey law and policy is on our side, thankfully,” said Bruesehoff, about the current stance of the NJSIAA. The organization’s mission is to “help member schools provide equitable athletic opportunities,” setting rules and regulations for players across 33 sports.

The current policy regarding the inclusion of trans athletes — which has been in place since 2009, multiple years before trans identity became a politicized issue — states that trans students may choose to either participate in sports teams that align with their declared gender identity or their sex assigned at birth. It’s their own decision.

“The reality is clear: trans inclusion in sports has never been a problem, not in New Jersey, nor in any league or at any skill level. For more than a decade, the NJSIAA’s policy has fostered fairness and inclusion, with zero disruptions,” reads a statement by Garden State Equality. “Framing this issue as a crisis is not about protecting fairness; it’s about creating division at the expense of vulnerable young people.”

“Further, since this interview has taken place, national polling consistently shows that transgender issues have little to no impact on voter turnout,” the statement continues. “It’s clear that framing these discussions as political crises is a distraction from the real issues affecting voters.”

New Jersey’s current policy, set by NJSIAA, allows for a school to appeal a student’s eligibility if it is believed that inclusion of a trans student adversely affects competition of safety. But none of the 440 member schools have ever used that appeals process, demonstrating that trans inclusion has never been an issue during games.

But affirming policies could be at risk. The ”Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act” was just passed by the House of Representatives. If signed into law, Title IX eligibility would be amended — banning trans girls and women from participating in sports. State Senator Mike Testa introduced legislation in New Jersey that mirrors the federal bill. It’s unclear if NJSIAA would welcome a shift in approach — but with Sarlo as a member of leadership, LGBTQ+ advocates are worried that misinformation could guide their position.

“There are very real threats to women’s sports,” said Bruesehoff, emphasizing that the true issues include inequities in funding and resources, higher rates of sexual abuse, and pay disparities. “None of them involve a little girl who happens to be transgender trying to play field hockey with her friends.”

Bruesehoff said Sarlo seems misinformed and hopes he and others concerned about fairness in sports are open to good-faith conversations that will educate more about the topics at hand.

But other LGBTQ+ advocates have already started discussions with Sarlo — and they haven’t been successful.

“There have been multiple offers of education. Senior leadership here has spoken with him and I don’t believe we have reached a satisfactory resolution at this point,” said Lauren Albrecht, director of advocacy and organizing at Garden State Equality.

“I hesitate to believe any longer that this is just a matter of ignorance and a need for education,” she added, noting that his failure to even recognize trans women as women rather than “males” is a red flag.

“Supporting trans rights is not controversial, nor should it be political. It is a matter of basic human dignity and equality,” wrote Albrecht, who is also the chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee LGBTQ Caucus, in a statement about the issue. “When we stand up for our trans community, we strengthen the fabric of our party, our state, and our nation.”

Albrecht noted that Sarlo was previously endorsed by Garden State Equality because he’s supported other LGBTQ+ equality measures in the past — and, despite her doubts, she hopes he will learn more about this topic so he can be an ally again in the future.

“All kids play sports to have fun with their friends, do something they love, and be a part of a team,” Bruesehoff said, underlining that they join teams for the same reason as every other kid. “And we know the benefits that sports offer to all kids — the way they engage them in their community, the critical life skills they learn — and to deprive anyone from that is just a shame.”

Sarlo’s office did not respond to PGN’s requests for comment.

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