Trans Advocates Slam James Talarico for Flip-Flopping on Trans Views: “I See a Man That’s Going to Compromise On Our Rights’

Some liberals and LGBTQ+ advocates aren’t happy with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) changing his tune on several trans issues, with one trans voter telling the Houston Chronicle on Saturday she worried it was a sign the Democrat will sell out to Republicans if he wins in November.

“He’s accepting their framing on an issue that doesn’t exist,” trans student Emily Oswin-Welborn told the paper. “I see a man that’s going to compromise on our rights.”

Oswin-Welborn’s remark was in response to Talarico telling Fox News on Wednesday he would “absolutely” support a national ban on gender transition surgeries for kids. His answer was a notable change from 2023, when the state lawmaker voted against SB 14, which banned trans surgeries for minors. Talarico condemned the bill — which eventually passed — for being “dangerous” and said it was the twisted result of “Christofascism.” 

And that wasn’t the only trans issue Talarico flip-flopped on during his Fox News interview. When pressed by correspondent Brooke Taylor on his 2021 claim there are six biological sexes, Talarico said he was “obviously” wrong.

“No, I’ve missed the mark with some of my past statements. I will be the first to admit it,” Talarico said. “What I meant is that there are two sexes, and then there’s a small percentage of people with genetic abnormalities. Obviously I didn’t say it correctly — there are not six sexes, there are two.”

Talarico also pivoted on his stance trans athletes should be allowed to compete against girls, after he said in 2021, “Some things are more important than perfectly fair competition in sports.” But he told Taylor he doesn’t feel quite the same way now.

“Every sport has to be safe and fair,” Talarico said. “As a former public school teacher, I care a lot about our student athletes, I care a lot about our students. And so I will oppose trans athletes playing in girls’ sports if it risks safety or fairness.”

His answer did not sit well with Brad Pritchett, the CEO of LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Texas.

“When did people of moral standing decide to use Texas children as a political football?” Pritchett said. “Fairness in school sports must include trans kids. Trans kids deserve the opportunity to play sports as much as their peers.”

Pritchett added his organization “expect[s] better” of Talarico.

Trans journalist Parker Molloy ripped him for it too in a post on Bluesky, writing it’s “literally an issue that is affecting ZERO kids right now (except for any trans kids who want to play sports). But [Talarico] STILL ends up feeding into this BS.”

Molloy later posted Talarico is still a better Senate option for liberals than Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R), but his shift on trans issues was “harmful and disappointing.”

Talarico’s interview with Fox News came as several recent polls have shown he has the edge on Paxton heading into the midterms, even in several Republican districts.

President Donald Trump has been hitting the panic button on Texas recently, with the president warning last week if the state turns Blue, he “will be the last Republican president and our country will live in hell!” To help make sure that doesn’t happen, the MAGA Inc. super PAC recently poured $10 million into ads boosting Paxton.

Both Oswin-Welborn and Jeis Whittacker, a Texan who identifies as non-binary, told the Chronicle there’s no chance they will vote for a Republican. But they are also feeling “conflicted” about backing Talarico, after his latest comments.

“I feel like I can’t in good conscience be responsible for putting a  Democrat in office that is willing to compromise on trans rights,” Oswin-Welborn said. “But maybe my conscience is a small price to pay to help keep Paxton out of office.”

Watch part of Talarico’s interview with Fox News above.

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