In a rare and pointed departure from mainstream Democratic messaging, former Chicago Mayor and Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel bluntly rejected key aspects of progressive gender ideology during a Monday interview with Megyn Kelly.
In a moment that could signal broader cracks in the Democratic Party’s unity on cultural issues, Emanuel flatly said, “No,” when asked if a man can become a woman—adding dryly, “I’m now going to go into a witness protection plan.”
The exchange, part of a rapid-fire segment on Kelly’s program, saw Emanuel offer answers that were both firm and strikingly at odds with policies and rhetoric increasingly dominant in Democratic circles.
When asked whether boys should be permitted to compete in girls’ sports, Emanuel gave a one-word response: “No.” He elaborated later, referencing his own children.
“I have a son and two daughters, and they are physically different. And that’s why, when it comes to sports—” he said, underscoring the biological distinctions that many on the left increasingly refuse to acknowledge.
The former mayor, who served under both Presidents Obama and Clinton, also pushed back against the growing trend of states allowing minors to access gender-transition interventions without parental consent.
“A child is too young at 18 to make that decision,” Emanuel stated, referring to the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. “It has to be made with a family and that choice. I think before somebody makes a life decision, they have to think twice about that.”
Emanuel was especially critical of Minnesota’s controversial policy—championed by Democratic Governor Tim Walz—which allows the state to assume jurisdiction over gender-related healthcare decisions when parents do not “affirm” their child’s gender identity. Emanuel made clear he opposes the policy: “I don’t think the public should be in that space.”
Pressed by Kelly on the issue of men being placed in female prisons, Emanuel again responded without hesitation: “No.”
Kelly noted that several Democrats have privately agreed with Emanuel’s views on these topics, only to later walk them back under pressure from activist groups and party operatives.
Emanuel, known for his blunt style, offered a pointed explanation for that trend: “The answer’s in the question… Sound is not always fury, sometimes it’s just sound. And don’t assume just because somebody’s screaming at you, they represent more than their own voice.”
While Emanuel’s comments drew praise from across the aisle for their clarity and courage, they are likely to earn him few allies within a Democratic Party increasingly beholden to its progressive flank.
His remarks shine a light on a growing divide within the party, where moderate voices are often drowned out by activists unwilling to entertain dissent on deeply controversial cultural questions.
Whether Emanuel’s candor signals a turning point or remains an isolated instance of political courage remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: not all Democrats are willing to go along with the extremes of their own party’s orthodoxy—and some, like Emanuel, are finally saying so out loud.
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