CNN’s Enten: 79% of Americans Oppose Transgender Athletes in Female Sports, Including 67% of Democrats

COATES: “President Trump signing an executive order called Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports. It’s designed to stop trans women from playing women’s sports.”
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Trump: “With my action this afternoon, we’re putting every school receiving taxpayer dollars on notice that if you let men take over women’s sports, teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and risk your federal funding. There will be no federal funding.” (Cheering and Applause)
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COATES: “Now, he’s centering this on Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities. A 180 from the Biden Administration. Biden’s White House said schools are in violation if they bar trans students from participating on sports teams. The Trump White House, they say, allowing trans women to play on women’s teams, that takes away opportunities from biological women. So, what does science say? Well, the research is limited. But an October 2023 study found that gender-affirming hormone therapy, quote, ‘reduced, if not erased, any physical attributes that could give an advantage to a trans woman.’ So, what’s public opinion say about the matter? Joining me now, CNN’s senior political data Reporter Harry Enten. Harry, tell me, what are you seeing in these numbers?”
ENTEN: “Yeah, I think these numbers are really illuminating on this topic because I just think there’s such a clear trend among the American public. So transgender female athletes in women’s sports, only 18 percent of the country says that they should be, in fact, allowed to participate in women’s sports. Compare this to the opposition. I mean, my goodness gracious, 79 percent. You rarely get 79 percent of the country to agree on anything, but they do, in fact, agree on the idea of opposing transgender female athletes in women’s sports. But it’s not just the here and now, Laura. It’s not just the here and now. What we’re actually seeing is a trend on this particular issue, and it’s going in the direction of opposition. So, take a look here. OK, transgendered female athletes, and amongst those Americans who oppose them in women’s sports, back in 2021, it was 62 percent. A majority, but, you know, not anywhere close to a ginormous majority, right? A clear majority, but not a ginormous majority. But then again, you look here in 2025, you see it at 79 percent. So, it’s not just that the majority of Americans are opposed to transgender female athletes in women’s sports, it’s that the opposition has become considerably larger in just the last four years.”
COATES: “How does this break down across party lines?”
ENTEN: “Yeah. So, you know, when you get 79 percent of Americans to agree on anything, in this case opposition to transgender female athletes in women’s sports, you got to believe that it’s the majority across all parties, and that’s, in fact, what we see. So transgender female athletes, again, opposing them in women’s sports, you get 67 percent of Democrats, so two-thirds there. You get 64% of independents, you get about two-thirds there. And then look at this, near uniformity among Republicans, 94 percent of Republicans in opposition. You rarely get 67% of Democrats and 94% of Republicans to agree on anything, but they do on this particular issue. But it is not just that Republicans are in opposition. It’s the strength of that opposition. OK, Republicans who strongly want to ban transgender female athletes from women’s sports, get this, it’s 84 percent who strongly want to ban them, and that is actually larger than the amount of Republicans who strongly want to deport all immigrants in America who are here illegally. So that just gives you an understanding of how strong the opposition is among Republicans. It is really strong when it comes to banning transgender female athletes from women’s sports, Laura.”
COATES: “It’s very illuminating. Harry Enten, thank you so much.”
ENTEN: “Thank you.”