FAIRFAX, Va. — Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin held a townhall meeting on education in D.C. on Thursday. Questions for the governor came from Virginia voters and touched on topics like school safety and student mental health.
Youngkin took one pointed question about his policy on gender identity in Virginia public schools from a 17-year-old Arlington student named Niko.
"Gov. Youngkin, your transgender model policies would require that students play on the sports teams and use the restrooms that correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Look at me. I am a transgender man. Do you really think that the girls in my high school would feel comfortable sharing a restroom with me," Niko asked.
Youngkin thanked Niko for the question and engaging in what he called an important discussion. During Thursday's meeting, Youngkin called for more bathrooms in schools.
"What's most important is that we try very hard to accommodate students. That's why I have said, many many times, we just need extra bathrooms in schools. We need gender neutral bathrooms so people can use a bathroom that they in fact are comfortable with," Youngkin said.
On the topic of sports, Youngkin was clear.
"I don't think it's controversial. I don't think biological boys should be playing sports with biological girls," he said.
Outside the townhall, a group of Virginia students known as the Pride Liberation Project protested the governor's presence and policies.
The townhall was a big political stage for Virginia's governor. Youngkin has been getting a lot of buzz as a possible Republican candidate for president. One of his political advisors said the townhall was not about him, it was about his work.