Dem lawmaker calls out critics piling on his comments about trans women in sports: ‘Trying to cancel me’

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Rep. Moulton responds to criticisms of stance on trans issues: Democrats 'talking down' to Americans

Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton said Tuesday that the Democratic Party was "talking down" to Americans in response to backlash over his recent comments about transgender women in sports.

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., told MSNBC that Democrats were "talking down" to Americans amid backlash he's received for speaking out against transgender athletes in women's sports. 

"Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough asked Moulton about Tufts University political science department chair David Art reportedly telling Moulton's office that he "consulted with his colleagues and doesn’t want our office to contact Tufts about internships and they won’t facilitate internship opportunities for students with us."

"Imagine if one of these Tuft students actually wants to intern in a Republican office? I mean, what would these political science professors do then? This is just everything that is wrong with this cancel culture," Moulton said.

 Moulton had spoken out about concerns over the left's support for transgender women participating in women's sports as a way of explaining the Democratic Party's crushing election losses. 

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Rep. Seth Moulton joined MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Tuesday to discuss his recent comments on transgender women in sports. (Screenshot/MSNBC)

"But this really hurts the Tufts students. The Tufts students who want to just be able to have debates, who want to be able to have different views. So when people like this in our party try to cancel me or whoever else, they are also talking down, they are canceling the views of a vast majority of Americans. And so how on earth are we going to win elections if that is our approach, that we just want to preach down to people and tell them they are morally wrong if they don’t meet some strict ideological purity test," Moulton continued. 

Scarborough agreed and said, "you can't even have a conversation about it."

Moulton added, "The founders had this crazy concept called freedom of speech and we Democrats would do well to remember that foundational American value because if we can't talk about these tough issues, we're never going to win on them. And guess what, you know who is going to get hurt the most? Its trans kids, its minorities across America, who are going to be attacked by this hateful Trump agenda, and if we don't have a rational response, then Republicans are just going to carry the day." 

Moulton suggested it was a problem for Vice President Kamala Harris in this election and said she didn't have a "response" to the issue. 

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U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., suggested that the left's support for transgender athletes in women's sports alienated some voters from the Democratic Party. (Getty Images)

In an interview with The New York Times, Moulton expressed his feelings on the issue, citing his position as a father to two daughters. 

"Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face," he said. "I have two little girls. I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that." 

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He doubled down on his comments in a statement on Friday.

"I stand firmly in my belief for the need for competitive women's sports to put limits on the participation of those with the unfair physical advantages that come with being born male," his statement said. "I am also a strong supporter of the civil rights of all Americans, including transgender rights."

Fox News' Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.