Newsom Avoids Direct Answer to 'Can Boys Become Girls?' Question in Shapiro Podcast

Overview

• During an episode of This Is Gavin Newsom, Ben Shapiro asked whether boys can become girls, and Gov. Gavin Newsom declined to give a yes-or-no answer.
• Newsom emphasized the political sensitivity of the topic and said relatively few people are navigating gender identity issues, urging respect and rejecting hostility.
• Shapiro argued it is not bigotry to say a boy cannot become a girl and objected to K–12 teaching to the contrary, repeatedly pressing whether the state shares his view.
• The exchange followed debate over school policies, with Shapiro acknowledging surgeries are not happening in schools while raising disputes about social transition and parental notification.
• Right-leaning coverage tied the moment to Newsom’s record, citing a 2022 measure described by critics as a sanctuary for transgender youth, his 2023 praise of strong LGBTQ protections, and his prior comments calling biological men in women’s sports unfair.