Last updated on November 17th, 2025 at 10:50 am
Zack Cozart, a former Major League Baseball shortstop and 2017 National League All-Star, has brushed off claims that his conservative views on transgender for minors have damaged his legacy. The Cincinnati Reds standout, who was recently nominated for the team’s Hall of Fame, addressed the criticism in a candid X post on Friday, emphasizing his belief that children under 18 should not undergo sex changes, likening it to restrictions on tattoos or other adult decisions.
In his post, Cozart wrote, “I’ve been told [my] reputation is ‘tarnished’” for opposing minors changing their sex, adding, “Let me be clear… if those things are true [because] I don’t think a child should be allowed to change their sex, then so be it.” He argued, “[You] turn 18, do whatever [you] want, but when [you] can’t get a tattoo until 18, I’m prob on the right side of the argument saying [you] shouldn’t be able to change [your] sex under 18.”
Cozart’s stance extends to broader debates on transgender participation in sports, where he has voiced strong support for protecting women’s categories. In July 2024, he reposted President Donald Trump’s pledge to end men competing in women’s sports, commenting, “Imagine being against this lol.” More recently, he sarcastically noted the International Olympic Committee’s decision to bar transgender athletes from elite female events, writing, “Wow they just now found it?”The former infielder, who hit a memorable two-run homer against the Philadelphia Phillies during his Reds tenure, has faced limited public backlash but remains unapologetic.
Discussion about this post