Harris signals cautious stance on transgender athletes in memoir, fueling debate on sports policy
In her memoir 107 Days, Harris says she has concerns about transgender athletes in girls’ sports but seeks fair, non-demonizing approaches.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris reveals in her memoir 107 Days that she has concerns about transgender athletes playing on girls’ sports teams, citing biological factors such as muscle mass that could create an unfair advantage in contact sports.
Harris writes, "I agree with the concerns expressed by parents and players that we have to take into account biological factors such as muscle mass and unfair student athletic advantage when we determine who plays on which teams, especially in contact sports," in an excerpt obtained by Politico ahead of the book's release. She adds that, "With goodwill and common sense, I believe we can come up with ways to do this, without vilifying and demonizing children."
The memoir also notes that Harris suggested that Donald Trump and Republicans misrepresented her position in a campaign ad last fall, which carried the tagline "Kamala is for they/them. I am for you," and she acknowledged that the ads amounted to a "winning message" for opponents.
The excerpt appears as debate within the Democratic Party intensifies over how to balance transgender rights with fairness in girls’ and women's sports. The issue has been highlighted by prominent Democrats, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, who have argued that it is unfair for transgender girls to compete in high school sports. At the same time, the Biden administration has pursued a nuanced approach to school participation under Title IX.
In April 2023, the Education Department proposed a revision to Title IX that would have prohibited outright bans on transgender athletes but would have allowed schools to restrict transgender participation if doing so could harm the educational objectives of other students. The agency argued that fairness in competition may be particularly important in sex-separated athletic teams. The proposal was withdrawn from the Federal Register on December 26, 2024, amid ongoing lawsuits and complaints that the language was too unclear.
Reaction to Harris’s remarks reflects broader Democratic embarrassment about messaging on trans athletes. Some prominent Democrats argued that Biden and Harris did not clearly articulate a position to the American public. Lanae Erickson, senior vice president for social policy at the centrist think tank Third Way, told Vox after the election that the party’s messaging should have underscored a straightforward aim: that Democrats want sports to be fair and athletes to be safe.
Beyond the memoir’s release, Harris has spoken at other moments on transgender issues. On March 31, 2024, she posted a message for Transgender Day of Visibility emphasizing dignity and safety. In October 2024, she defended her stance on gender reassignment procedures for prisoners in an interview with Fox News, arguing that she would follow the law. The Times has reported that Bureau of Prisons officials during the Trump administration provided gender-affirming care to a small number of inmates when medically necessary, a point Harris used to argue about how opponents frame the issue in political ads.
Taken together, the excerpt from 107 Days adds detail to a long-running policy conversation at the intersection of gender identity, youth sports, and federal rulemaking, illustrating how a high-profile political figure navigates complex policy tradeoffs in a charged political environment.