A Democratic Massachusetts congressman who said biological males should not compete in girls’ sports, Seth Moulton, is facing protests and calls for his resignation as a result of his comments. He has stood by those remarks despite the backlash. 

On Sunday, a crowd that appeared to include at least 100 people gathered near Mr. Moulton’s Salem, Massachusetts — seat of the famous witch trials of the 17th century — office to protest what they called his “hate speech.” The congressman said shortly after the November election that he didn’t want his two daughters “getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete.”

Just days after Mr. Moulton made the comments, his campaign manager and political action committee director, Matt Chilliak, resigned in protest, according to the Boston Globe.

Constituents and political allies have also turned on Mr. Moulton, who represents the north shore of Massachusetts. A Salem city councilor, Kyle Davis, has said the congressman should resign. “We’re certainly rejecting the narrative that trans people are to be scapegoated or fear-mongered against,” Mr. Davis told the New York Times. 

The chairwoman of the Salem Democrats, Liz Brandt, told the Globe that Mr. Moulton should resign, and if he doesn’t, they will organize a primary challenge against him in 2026. “We will find someone to run against him and win,” Ms. Brandt said.

One of Mr. Moulton’s colleagues, Congressman Eric Sorensen, who is gay, said on X on Sunday that he can’t back any lawmaker for a leadership position unless they offer “100% support” for transgender children — an apparent shot at Mr. Moulton’s comments. 

“I will not vote for any member of Dem leadership until they commit 100% support for every LGBTQ+ person. We mustn’t omit vulnerable people because an opposing party vilified them in an election,” Mr. Sorensen wrote. 

Mr. Moulton’s remarks drew condemnations far from Washington, as well. The governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, hit back at the congressman’s remarks during an appearance on “Face the Nation” on Sunday. 

“I’m taught that all children are children of God, and I wanted to stand up for some children that were being picked on,” the governor, who vetoed a bill that would have banned biological males from girls’ sports, said when asked about Mr. Moulton’s comments.

Mr. Moulton, however, said many of his fellow Democrats have thanked him privately for his candor. The reaction of those who disapprove of them proves his point, he said.

“I was just speaking authentically as a dad about one of many issues where I think we’re just out of touch with the majority of voters, and I stand by my position,” Mr. Moulton said Sunday during an appearance on MSNBC. “The backlash I’ve received proves my point that we can’t even have these discussions as a party.”