Democrat Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly Flips Again, Says Men Should Play Women’s Sports 

This Thursday, March 24, 2022 photo shows Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly during an event at the K
John Hanna/AP
Katherine Hamilton

Kansas Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly quickly returned to denying biological reality after receiving backlash for releasing an advertisement stating: “of course men should not play girls’ sports.”

Kelly took heat from both sides of the political aisle for her advertisement — those on the left felt she had not been loyal enough to the religion of gender ideology, while Republicans accused her of trying to “have it both ways.” Kelly’s GOP opponent, Derek Schmidt, was quick to point out that Kelly’s ad claims were contrary to the fact that she vetoed legislation protecting women and girls’ sports not once, but twice.

The vulnerable incumbent agreed to an interview with the The Kansas City Star‘s editorial board, in which she quickly  “clarified” that she actually does think males should be able to play on female sports teams.

According to the report:

[Kelly] denied that her ad was specifically targeted at transgender student-athletes when given the example of a 16-year-old high school student. Instead, she claimed her ad was talking about ‘a male over the age of 18’ who wanted to compete with girls — implying that her comments were about age rather than just gender identity. “The ad that I put out was to respond to the misleading attacks that my opponent has put out that I favor letting men play in girls sports,” Kelly claimed. “I have never said that.”

Kelly further doubled down, saying “the bills that [she] vetoed were discriminatory.”

“They were also designed by politicians. If this had come from the Kansas High School Activities Association, which is the governing body for sports in our schools, I would have addressed it differently,” she continued.

In stark contrast, Schmidt has promised to sign the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act within his first 100 days in office if he is elected governor.

Schmidt wrote:

At least Governor Kelly is now being honest about her position on this issue with her friends on the Kansas City Star editorial board, but she ought to tell the truth to Kansas voters. She’s wrong to oppose the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act and she’s wrong to mislead Kansans about her real position in her television ad. My position is crystal clear – female athletes in women’s and girls sports should not be required to compete against biological males.

The Republican Governors Association also slammed Kelly for promoting two contradictory views within the span of a few days.

“Democrat Laura Kelly believes athletes born biological males should share locker rooms and be able to compete with girls and women in sports, and that position is out of touch with nearly two thirds of Americans,” said RGA spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez. “Kelly looked into a TV camera and told Kansans a lie, and she’s not sorry about it because she’s willing to do whatever it takes to give radical, woke activists a chance to influence Kansas schools.”

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