Ben Shapiro Says the Left Has Abandoned Principles for Gender Ideology in Pursuit of Voter Support

Top Points

• Shapiro argued that the political left has abandoned principle-based policymaking in favor of supporting gender ideology: He said Democratic leaders now shift positions to align with activist demands because they believe it will help them win voter support.

• Shapiro pointed to Gavin Newsom as the clearest example of this trend: He noted that Newsom said only months ago that boys do not belong in girls sports, yet he later reversed his position because he wants to secure the Democratic presidential nomination.

• Shapiro said this represents what he calls policy without principles: He argued that when leaders change foundational beliefs for political gain, it reveals a strategy driven by voter calculations rather than moral conviction.

Full Report:

On a recent episode of The Ben Shapiro Show, host Ben Shapiro argued that leading figures on the political left are discarding long-held policy principles in favor of adopting positions rooted in gender ideology because they believe these positions will help them secure voter support. Shapiro said this shift reflects a broader pattern in which Democratic leaders prioritize political gains over consistency or evidence.

Shapiro Uses Trump’s Campaign Slogan to Illustrate the Divide

Shapiro began by discussing former President Donald Trump’s new campaign slogan, “Kamala is for they/them, Trump is for you.” He said the slogan captures what he views as the central cultural contrast between Republicans and Democrats heading into the election. In his analysis, the right positions itself as rooted in traditional norms, while the left aligns itself with gender identity activism.

Shapiro said the slogan resonates because many Americans sense that Democratic leadership increasingly defines policy around ideological commitments rather than real-world considerations.

Shapiro Points to Gavin Newsom’s Reversal as Evidence of Policy Without Principles

To illustrate his concern, Shapiro highlighted California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent shift on the issue of transgender participation in sports. Shapiro noted that only months ago, during a public exchange with Charlie Kirk, Newsom acknowledged that boys should not be in girls sports.

According to Shapiro, this was a moment in which Newsom expressed a position aligned with fairness and biological reality. Shapiro argued that Newsom has since reversed his stance, now insisting that boys should be allowed to compete in girls divisions.

Shapiro said this reversal was not prompted by new evidence or a change in personal conviction. Instead, he argued that Newsom adjusted his position because he wants to become the Democratic nominee for president and believes that endorsing gender identity positions is necessary to win support from the party’s base.

Shapiro described this as a clear example of policy without principles, meaning that core beliefs are abandoned whenever they become politically inconvenient.

Shapiro Says the Left’s Commitment to Gender Ideology Is Strategic Rather Than Moral

Shapiro argued that the Democratic Party’s increasingly rigid embrace of gender identity ideology is motivated by political strategy rather than principle. He said party leaders have determined that supporting policies such as allowing biological males into girls sports will help them maintain favor with activist groups, media allies and progressive voters who demand ideological conformity.

According to Shapiro, this willingness to abandon earlier positions, even those aligned with common sense or broader public sentiment, shows that political survival now outweighs policy coherence within Democratic politics.

Shapiro Warns of Broader Consequences

In Shapiro’s view, this trend represents a larger problem in public life. When political leaders treat foundational issues as flexible talking points rather than moral commitments, he said, the public cannot trust their statements. He argued that the left is now guided by what he called a gender ideology first strategy and that Newsom’s reversal is one of the clearest examples of this shift.

Shapiro concluded that American voters must be aware when political leaders reshape their beliefs for the sake of electoral advantage rather than principle.

References

• The Ben Shapiro Show. Episode discussing the abandonment of principle-based policymaking in favor of gender ideology. Daily Wire.

• Shapiro, Ben. Commentary on Gavin Newsom, gender policy and political strategy. The Ben Shapiro Show, Daily Wire.

• Trump, Donald. Campaign messaging referenced in discussion regarding cultural and political contrasts.