Despite the outrage of Hoang and other advocates, Newsom’s newly voiced position places him in the national political mainstream. In January a New York Times/ Ipsos poll found that almost 80% of Americans oppose allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports and that included more than two-thirds of Democrats.

The remarks by Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, a potential White House hopeful, were an extraordinary break from fellow Democrats and signaled a newly defensive position on the issue.