Andy Cohen Faces Backlash in Debate Over Trans Athletes with Meghan McCain and Teen Athlete

Andy Cohen, the host of Bravo TV's "Watch What Happens Live," has found himself in the middle of a heated social media debate about transgender inclusion in women's sports. The discussion involved conservative commentator Meghan McCain and Payton McNabb, a former high school volleyball player who sustained brain damage after competing against a transgender athlete.

The controversy began when Cohen responded to McCain's post commending 19-year-old McNabb for her bravery. Cohen accused McCain of "vilifying" the transgender community, stating, "Surprised you’re buying into the vilification of the trans community given the real problems happening in this country, your previous ally-ship of the LGBTQ community, and the fact that this non-issue affects about four people in this country."

McNabb, who has been vocal about her experience, fired back, calling Cohen's comments "factually wrong" and highlighting the broader impact of such policies. She argued, "Calling the protection of women’s sports a ‘non-issue’ that affects ‘four people’ is not just dismissive—it’s factually wrong. Hundreds of female athletes have lost podium spots, scholarships, and opportunities. My own injury was life-changing. And even if it were just one girl, that’s one too many."

Cohen later clarified that his initial statement was based on statistics provided by NCAA President Charlie Baker, who testified in December that fewer than 10 transgender athletes were among the 500,000 student-athletes under NCAA's purview. However, critics noted that Cohen's defense ignored the impact on high school and other levels of competition.

Meanwhile, McCain responded to Cohen's remarks with an invitation for a deeper conversation, saying, "Surprised you’re okay with violence against female athletes. Payton suffered serious brain damage—just one story. You have my cell, always happy to talk privately or publicly on either of our shows because these conversations are reductive to hash out on social media."

McNabb’s injury occurred in 2022 when she was struck by a volleyball spike from a transgender athlete competing on a girls’ team. The incident left her with long-term physical and cognitive impairments, sidelining her from her senior volleyball season and significantly affecting her softball performance.

The debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports remains a contentious issue, with McNabb set to attend former President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress, where this topic is expected to take center stage. Her participation follows Senate Democrats blocking a bill that sought to ban transgender athletes from competing in women's and girls' sports nationwide.