Earle-Sears presses Spanberger on nude locker room issue during heated Virginia debate

Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears held back his attacks on his Democratic opponent in Virginia’s gubernatorial race, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, when a Thursday night debate turned to the topic of transgender issues and locker rooms.

“We know girls want to have privacy,” Earle-Sears said. “(Spanberger) voted for naked men in girls’ locker rooms, in bathrooms and in girls’ sports.”

Turning to Spanberger, she asked, “Are you going to change in a gym where the men are naked in the locker rooms? Are you going to do that?”

ELON MUSK COMES INTO VIRGINIA TRANSGENDER BATHROOM CLASH, SAYS Democratic GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE WRONGLY “blamed” Trump

Virginia candidates answer questions about transgender bathroom access. (Getty Images)

Earlier this month, Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive directive ensuring that bathrooms, locker rooms and other intimate spaces remain segregated by sex assigned at birth. The directive also asks the State Board of Health to ban biological males from competing on women’s sports teams.

When asked point blank whether she would rescind this directive, Spanberger evaded the question and refused to give a definitive answer.

“My answer is that in each local community, decisions should be made between parents, educators and teachers in each community. They should not be dictated by politicians,” Spanberger responded. “I am the mother of three girls who attend Virginia public schools, and nothing is more important to me than their safety and experience in schools,” Spanberger added in response to questions about her stance on transgender issues.

VIRGINIA LT. GOVERNOR EXPLAINS WHY HIS STATE IS AT RISK OF LOSSING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR TRANSGENDER BATHROOMS

Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears speaks to the crowd during a rally to announce that she will seek her party’s nomination for governor of Virginia in 2025 at Chick’s Oyster Bar in Virginia Beach, Virginia, September 5, 2024. (Kristen Zeis/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

“Naked men in the locker room – that’s what it’s about,” Earle-Sears said.

“There should never be naked men in locker rooms,” Spanberger finally said.

“She finally says that!” But you voted for it! Earle-Sears responded. “Are we in agreement now?”

“I’m going to answer the question that my opponent refused to answer,” Earle-Sears said. “I will not rescind the governor’s executive order.”

Throughout the debate, Earle-Sears sought to address Spanberger directly, but Spanberger didn’t bite.

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., speaks at a campaign rally Nov. 4, 2023, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, file)

In addition to Spanberger’s evasiveness Thursday night, the Democratic Party nominee also dodged questions about transgender issues on the campaign trail leading up to the debate.

When Fox News Digital contacted Spanberger in August about her views on transgender students’ bathroom access, the former Virginia congresswoman did not directly address the issue.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“As a mom of three girls in Virginia public schools, “While Abigail’s opponent, Winsome Earle-Sears, stokes division and supports the Trump administration’s threats to defund Virginia’s schools, as Virginia’s next governor, Abigail will work to protect public school funding, address the Commonwealth’s chronic teacher shortage, and address our latest national rankings in terms of mathematics recovery.

Outside of Youngkin’s executive directive, issues surrounding transgender bathrooms and sports loom large across the Commonwealth. In August, five Northern Virginia school districts were found by the Department of Education to be in violation of Title IX for failing to reverse policies allowing transgender students. Last month, a federal judge dismissed lawsuits filed by two of the districts, seeking to challenge the Trump administration’s finding that it places restrictions on the districts’ federal funding unless they make a change.

Meanwhile, a case involving two Virginia boys who were suspended and found responsible by their school for sexual harassment, after they were filmed complaining to each other about a transgender classmate using their locker room, is also currently pending in federal court.