Stephen A. Smith isn’t exactly known for biting his tongue and didn’t start now. During a recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, the ESPN personality tackled one of the most divisive topics in sports today: the participation of transgender athletes in women’s competitions. And in classic Stephen A. fashion, he left little room for ambiguity.
“I’m liberal when it comes to live and let live,” Smith began. “But when you’re talking about women competing in sports against transgender women — men transitioning to women — I side with you 1,000 percent.”
The longtime sports commentator made it clear that, in his view, fairness in competition outweighs any fear of backlash or political correctness.
Smith Calls For Separate Divisions In Competitive Sports
Smith’s comments came after a tough public exchange between Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and OutKick commentator Riley Gaines. Gaines, a vocal critic of transgender participation in women’s sports, joined Smith on his podcast to explain her side, and Smith didn’t just let her talk; he backed her.
“Women should be competing against women. Men should be competing against men. And transgenders should be competing against transgenders,” Smith said firmly. “I don’t know why that’s controversial.”
Gaines echoed the sentiment with an example from a recent high school baseball tournament in Minnesota. “This was a boy who pitched five games straight… 35 consecutive innings, only allowed two runs,” Gaines told Smith. “Of course, they went on to win. He led his team in a way that I would describe as not very valiantly.”
According to Gaines, the athlete followed the rules set by local and state authorities, but she believes those rules conflict with federal Title IX protections. Gaines argued that allowing transgender athletes in women’s sports violates the intent of the federal law meant to ensure equal opportunities for female athletes.
Smith didn’t just nod along, he leaned in. While he emphasized respect for people’s identities, he drew a hard line regarding competitive fairness in sports. “I’ve never been scared to say it,” Smith stated. “This is absolutely the right thing to do.”
Gaines, who has become a regular voice in political circles and even contributed to an executive order under President Donald Trump, continues to push the issue to national attention. And now, she’s found an ally in one of the loudest voices in sports media.