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Outspoken ESPN star Stephen A. Smith took a clear position in the ongoing debate over the participation of transgender athletes in girls and women’s sports.
“Biological men should not compete against biological girls in sports, period,” Smith said during an appearance on “Real Time with Bill Maher” after the Olympics’ policy on transgender women was brought up.
“What about protecting young girls? Young girls facing biological men, biological men, there’s no excuse for that.”
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Stephen A. Smith joined Bill Maher on the March 27 episode of “Real Time,” discussing politics and who could potentially lead both parties in the future. (Real Time with Bill Maher/YouTube)
Smith then mentioned former University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas.
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“Lia Thomas, for example, was a man and ranked 400th in the world… And then she became her… And number 1. Well… does it really take an Einstein to realize that there’s something wrong with that picture?”
Sadie Schreiner puts a transgender flag in her hair before heading to the awards booth after finishing third in the final of the 200-meter dash at the 2024 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium on May 25, 2024, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Smith has previously spoken about her views on transgender athletes in women’s and girls’ sports, including during a Radio Row interview in February 2025 ahead of that year’s Super Bowl.
“So that’s how I see it. I fully support LGBTQ rights and all that, but when transgender (male) athletes are transitioning to women and competing in women’s sports, that’s a different thing to me,” she said.
“It’s not just about LGBTQ rights. It’s about taking advantage of the rights of women everywhere who were born female, and are at a distinct disadvantage.”
Stephen A. Smith (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Those comments from Smith came around the same time in 2025, when President Donald Trump signed the “Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order, which directed federal agencies to interpret Title IX based on biological sex at birth.
The NCAA complied with Trump’s executive order and changed its policy.
