Even Democrats Are Sick Of Men In Women’s Sports

MINNEAPOLIS — The aggressive push for gender ideology by left-wingers is starting to cost them — and not just with conservatives. Even lifelong Democrats are clashing with party leaders over one increasingly unpopular issue: allowing biological males to compete in girls' and women's sports.

That frustration was on full display this week in Minnesota, where a trans-identifying male athlete just carried Champlin Park High School to a state championship win in high school girls’ softball.

READ: Champlin Park Wins Minnesota Softball State Title Behind Trans Pitcher's Complete Game Shutout

On Friday morning, as the Champlin Park Rebels clinched the Class AAAA state title behind male pitcher Marissa Rothenberger, a small group of protesters stood outside Jane Sage Cowles Stadium holding signs that read "Females deserve fair sports" and "Democrats for Title IX."

One of those protesters was Elizabeth, a member of Women’s Declaration International, who spoke with OutKick.

"I came out today to stand up to protect women and girls in sports," Elizabeth said. "Girls throughout the state have lost out on their opportunity for safe and fair sport. Some of the women I'm here with today are with DIAG, which is Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender. All of us at one point — or some still — are Democrats."

She added: "I myself left the Democratic Party over this issue and am now an independent. Democrats are pushing this on their constituents and their base without our consent."

Minnesota Law Welcomes Males Into Girls' Sports With Open Arms

The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) allows athletes to compete in sports based on gender identity, regardless of biological sex. Minnesota law allows individuals to change the sex marker on their birth certificate with either a physician’s note or a court order — and the document doesn’t have to indicate any changes were made.

This policy, along with vocal support from politicians like Governor Tim Walz and Rep. Leigh Finke, has made Minnesota one of the most aggressive states in pushing trans inclusion in girls’ sports. 

RELATED: Minnesota Rep. Leigh Finke Stands By Trans Athletes As Girls' Softball State Tournament Begins

But that doesn't mean their voters feel the same way.

"They have kind of introduced boys playing on girls teams, self-ID, changes to birth certificates and legal documents without voters really being aware," Elizabeth said. "And we’re concerned about the impact that has on women and girls."

Protesters gather outside the Minnesota high school softball state championship game.

(Photo by Amber Harding)

She’s not alone. Recent polling confirms that what was once whispered among centrists is now loud and clear: this is a losing issue for Democrats.

A 2023 Gallup poll found that nearly 70 percent of Americans, including two-thirds of Gen Z voters, oppose allowing trans-identifying males to compete in girls' and women’s sports. When NBC repeated that poll in April 2025, that number grew to a whopping 75 percent.

Even among Democrats, support is dropping as parents watch their daughters lose out on fair competition, college scholarships and basic safety. OutKick had boots on the ground for this week's Minnesota state softball tournament, and we saw this revelation happening in real-time.

It's All About The Bottom Line

So why are Democrat leaders so willing to die on this hill? According to Elizabeth, it's all about the Benjamins.

"Honestly, I think it's money-related," she said. "There's a lot of money in the trans lobby. This is an identity movement that relies very heavily on the pharmaceutical and the medical-industrial complex. And there's a lot of money to keep this going."

Her concerns echo OutKick’s previous reporting on an alleged Nike-funded study on minors undergoing medical gender transition. That alleged study aims to determine if treating young boys with puberty blockers and hormone therapy early enough could close the performance gap between males and females in sports. Never mind the known health risks and the irreversibility of many of these procedures.

A Legal Battle Is Brewing In Minnesota

After President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February banning males from competing in female sports, the Department of Education launched an investigation into both Minnesota and California for Title IX violations.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor made the administration’s position clear: "The Minnesota State High School League and the California Interscholastic Federation are free to engage in all the meaningless virtue-signaling they want," Trainor said, "but at the end of the day, they must abide by federal law."

MORE: Will President Trump Call Out Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Over Male Athletes in Girls’ Sports?

Instead of backing down, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued the Trump administration, claiming that protecting sex-based rights in sports amounts to discrimination against "vulnerable children."

Champlin Park celebrates winning the State Championship while Bloomington Jefferson looks on.

(Photo by Amber Harding)

But while Minnesota's leaders were pretending nothing is wrong, Rothenberger threw three complete games in the state tournament, allowed just two runs over 21 innings and was named to the All-Tournament team.

For many watching from the stands — or standing outside in protest — this wasn’t just a game. It was a public display of what happens when political ideology is placed ahead of basic fairness.

Earlier this week, after Champlin Park narrowly defeated White Bear Lake in the semifinals, one frustrated dad in the crowd summed it up perfectly: "You’re looking at a whole team of future Republicans."

Michael Jordan once said, "Republicans buy sneakers, too." That's true. And, well… Democrats have daughters, too.