(LEX 18) — With the election fewer than six weeks away, it seems like we're seeing a new political ad every few days. But one that hit the web earlier this week still has people talking.
"All female athletes want is a fair shot at competition," says a narrator at the beginning of the ad. Girls are shown running on a track. As a male competitor passes them, the narrator asks a question.
"What if that shot was taken away by a competitor who claims they're a girl but was born a boy?"
This digital ad was put out by the Campaign for American Principles, an independent political action committee. In it, they attack Andy Beshear, the democrat running for governor, for his position on equality.
"We're trying to warn Kentuckians if you elect Andy Beshear, he will prioritize an equality act and you will start to have men competing against girls in sports," said Terry Schilling, the executive director of the Campaign for American Principles.
The group points to this specific pride festival post, where Beshear says "as governor, I'll always stand up for equality" as a sign of what they think Beshear will do.
What exactly is the group worried about? If Kentucky has an equality law, they say men would pretend to be women to get a competitive advantage.
As a national example, the group brings up a lawsuit in Connecticut where three girls claim a statewide policy, which allows transgender athletes to compete, cost them races and college scholarships.
"There are two men specifically that did this and they have been winning almost every track meet and there are pictures online and videos of them and its not even a close race, they are winning by several paces and its deflating these girls," says Schilling.
Here in Kentucky, LEX 18 hasn't found any situation like this. The Fairness Campaign, a pro-LGBTQ group, says it's because this is not an issue Kentucky is dealing with.
"Not a single school across the entire state has brought this up as an issue," says Chris Hartman, the executive director of the Fairness Campaign. "In my ten years at the Fairness Campaign, this has not been a topic of concern."
Hartman says this ad suggests the Matt Bevin campaign is not doing well.
"It's clear evidence that Bevin and national republicans must have some awful internal polling numbers that show he is way down in the race, or else they wouldn't dare step into this type of divisive, disgusting, discriminatory political attack," says Hartman.
