Barney Frank, From Hospice, Warns Democrats Transgender Sports Debate Is Politically Costly

Former Congressman Barney Frank, speaking from hospice care in Maine, is warning Democrats that debates over transgender athletes in women's sports have become politically damaging for the party.

In a new interview with NBC10 Boston's "At Issue," the 86-year-old Massachusetts Democrat said national Democrats failed to separate themselves from positions many voters viewed as too far outside the mainstream, allowing those positions to define the party in voters' minds.

Frank said he believes Democrats should focus more heavily on broadly supported protections — including healthcare access and legal recognition for transgender people — rather than debates he described as politically divisive.

The longtime congressman, who represented Massachusetts for more than three decades and helped shape major financial reforms including Dodd-Frank, was the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay while serving in office.

Frank acknowledged his comments may anger some LGBTQ+ activists but dismissed concerns about his legacy, saying: "When I'm dead, I'm dead, is my basic view."

The interview comes ahead of the release of Frank's new book, "The Hard Path to Unity: Why We Must Reform the Left to Rescue Democracy."

Watch the full story now on NBC10 Boston.

The full "At Issue" interview airs Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on NBC10 Boston.

Note: Bay Windows Editor Sue O'Connell is a political commentator for NBC10 Boston and part of the "At Issue" team.