Mark Cuban challenges Democrats on trans athlete inclusion: ‘People just aren’t ready’

Mark Cuban, minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks and well-known entrepreneur from Shark Tank, weighed in on the polarising issue of transgender athlete participation in women’s sports during a candid appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show on Friday. His comments called for patience, understanding, and a shift away from politicising the debate, as he stressed that the American public is not yet ready to fully embrace policies that allow transgender women to compete in female sporting categories.

Speaking to host Stephen A. Smith, Cuban noted the disconnect between national messaging around trans inclusion and public readiness to engage with the issue constructively. “To make it a national issue so that if you weren’t supporting the fewer than 10 trans athletes in the NCAA, then you weren’t a good person. People just aren’t ready for that yet,” Cuban said. “You’ve got to meet people where they are. It takes time. You can’t just force it down people’s throats.”

Cuban’s remarks reflect a nuanced view on one of the most heated debates in sports and politics today, particularly as the issue becomes a lightning rod in state legislatures and federal discussions around Title IX protections and gender identity.

Why does Mark Cuban believe the trans sports debate has become too politicised?

Cuban also raised concerns that the issue of transgender inclusion in sports has been hijacked for political gain rather than addressed through meaningful dialogue and policy solutions. He criticised both parties, but especially political strategists who have used trans athletes as wedge issues in electoral campaigns. “Instead of trying to get where the people who are being disadvantaged and being discriminated against are helped, they wanted to make it a campaign issue,” Cuban said. “Focus on helping the people, not using them to campaign.”

This sentiment aligns with a broader critique of how trans rights have become entangled with national political agendas, particularly during election cycles. As more states introduce or pass laws banning transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports, the topic has increasingly been used to rally conservative voters—especially during President Donald Trump‘s successful 2024 campaign, where gender and education policies became core talking points.

What does public opinion say about transgender athletes in women’s sports?

The conversation around transgender athletes is not just driven by politicians and celebrities. Recent national polling indicates that a large portion of the American public shares concerns about fairness and biological advantage in sports. A 2024 New York Times/Ipsos survey found that 79% of respondents believed biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning individuals, a substantial 67% agreed with that stance.

Additionally, a national exit poll conducted by the Concerned Women for America legislative action committee reported that 70% of moderate voters considered Donald Trump’s opposition to trans participation in female sports leagues and bathroom access a key issue, with 6% calling it their top issue and 44% rating it as “very important.”

These figures suggest that the issue has gained traction not only among conservative voters, but also among moderates and even some Democratic constituents. This shift in sentiment has led some left-leaning commentators and lawmakers to rethink the party’s messaging on gender and athletics.

How does Cuban’s view contrast with the Democratic Party’s current stance?

Though Mark Cuban has long supported Democratic figures such as former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris, his latest comments diverge from the broader Democratic platform, which has largely advocated for trans inclusion under the banner of civil rights and equality. Cuban joins a growing list of centrist and liberal-leaning public figures who have expressed concern about the optics, timing, and implementation of those policies.

HBO host Bill Maher, known for his libertarian-leaning views, has frequently criticised what he calls “progressive overreach” in cultural debates, including on transgender issues. Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts and former Senator Jon Tester of Montana have both voiced worries about how this issue resonates with working-class and rural voters, many of whom see it as emblematic of cultural detachment from mainstream values.

On The Stephen A. Smith Show, the host himself echoed this view, asserting that the Democratic Party’s stance on trans athletes may have contributed to its struggles in the 2024 election. Cuban’s remarks bolster that line of criticism and highlight a growing internal debate within the party on how best to navigate contentious identity-based issues.

What role should athlete choice play in competitions involving transgender players?

Cuban further suggested that decisions around competing against transgender athletes should be made at the individual level rather than enforced by governing bodies. “My attitude is if there’s a trans athlete, no matter what side, you let the opponent — whether it’s an individual sport or a team sport — you let them decide if they want to compete against them or not,” he said.

This athlete-first approach adds a new layer to the conversation, one that has rarely been implemented in official policy. It raises practical and ethical questions about consent, agency, and pressure on young athletes to either conform or risk social backlash. Cuban’s proposal would decentralise the decision-making process, allowing sports participants—rather than institutions—to navigate these sensitive matchups on a case-by-case basis.

The idea may appeal to those who feel current policies ignore the voices of female athletes, many of whom have begun publicly protesting trans inclusion in their events. In a recent case that gained global attention, a U.S. women’s fencer reportedly knelt during competition to protest facing a transgender opponent. Though the athlete’s identity remains under review, the incident highlights the emotional and psychological toll this issue has taken on all sides of the debate.

Why is this debate intensifying now?

Transgender inclusion in sports has steadily risen in public prominence over the past decade, but it became a high-stakes political issue during the 2020s. A wave of state legislation—beginning in Idaho and spreading to over 20 states—has sought to define athletic eligibility based strictly on biological sex. The Biden administration attempted to counter these moves through expanded Title IX interpretations to include gender identity, but the courts have issued mixed rulings.

Under President Donald Trump’s second administration, the U.S. Department of Education has signalled a reversal of those interpretations, reinforcing protections for female athletes under a biological definition of sex. This has only further politicised the issue, creating a federal-state divide that could head to the Supreme Court.

For Mark Cuban, however, the legal and political turbulence underscores the need for a more patient, culturally aware strategy. His call for meeting people “where they are” could be interpreted as a pragmatic plea to slow down policy implementation while building consensus and understanding—a sentiment that might resonate across ideological lines, even if it provokes backlash from both activists and traditionalists.

In a landscape increasingly dominated by outrage cycles and political posturing, Cuban’s remarks serve as a rare example of a public figure advocating not just for one side or another, but for dialogue, empathy, and long-term thinking.