Democratic lawmaker calls out his party for 'banning debate' on culture war issues like transgender athletes

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Moderate Dem calls out his party for banning debate

Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton criticized his party on CNN for not permitting debate on sensitive topics like transwomen playing on girls sports teams. 

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., called out his own political party for not allowing criticism or debate on hot-button issues such as transwomen athletes participating in girls’ sports.

Moulton came under fire over the weekend after giving an interview with the New York Times where he criticized Democrats for refusing to debate issues concerning ordinary Americans.

"Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face. 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," Moulton said.

Moulton's comments sparked backlash from progressives, including from one of his top aides. His campaign manager Matt Chilliak resigned shortly after Moulton's interview with the New York Times. The Democratic operative posted on X shortly after Trump won the election in the early hours of Wednesday morning, "Millions of Americans today showed that they hate immigrants and transgender people more than they fear fascism."

Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., responded to the backlash following his criticism of the party. (CNN screenshot)

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"I was just speaking authentically as a parent about one of many issues where Democrats are just out of touch with the majority of Americans. And I stand by my position even though I may not have used exactly the right words. And I’m willing to have this debate as I have been having with LGBTQ advocates and others, some of whom agree with me, and others who don’t. But we’re engaging in a thoughtful debate," Moulton said. "On the other hand, some people like you mentioned are just more interested in shaming fellow Democrats, shaming the majority of voters when they simply don‘t meet the ideological purity test. And these are the same people who told us to defund the police, who told us that there wasn‘t a problem at the southern border, who told us inflation is transient, whatever that means. And the same people who attacked me when I said that Biden should step aside because he was going to lose this election." 

"So, we have to be willing to have these debates in the party. The Republicans are banning books. Democrats are banning debate. And if we don‘t have this debate now and come up with a winning strategy going forward, then the Republicans are going to wipe the floor with us in January just like they did last Tuesday," he continued.

Despite facing public backlash, Moulton said most messages he’s received have been supportive, calling him "exactly right."

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., speaks during a House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials hearing. (Getty Images)

"This is our problem. We tried to cancel people rather than actually having debates about issues that Americans care about. and this is bigger than trans issues. This is about the economy," Moulton said.

He remarked how Republicans have managed to become more trustworthy on the economy and the border despite President-elect Donald Trump’s proposals, something Moulton attributes to his party refusing to reach out to Americans.

"We’ve got to get in touch with the majority of Americans. And we can‘t do that if we do all this preaching and not listening. We have to listen to American voters, engage them in this discussion. What does it say to American voters if people in our own party can‘t even have this debate?" Moulton said.

The congressman also responded to the backlash in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

"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," he said. "I am also a strong supporter of the civil rights of all Americans, including transgender rights. I will fight, as I always have, for the rights and safety of all citizens. These two ideas are not mutually exclusive, and we can even disagree on them."

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Moulton stood by his criticism of the Democratic Party for refusing to debate issues like people's concerns over transwomen competing in women's sports.  (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images |  Photo by Swen Pförtner/picture alliance via Getty Images)

"Yet there are many who, shouting from the extreme left corners of social media, believe I have failed the unspoken Democratic Party purity test. We did not lose the 2024 election because of any trans person or issue. We lost, in part, because we shame and belittle too many opinions held by too many voters and that needs to stop," he continued. "Let’s have these debates now, determine a new strategy for our party since our existing one failed, and then unite to oppose the Trump agenda wherever it imperils American values."

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Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.