In a lively interview on Chicago’s Morning Answer with Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson, New York Post columnist and Stolen Youth co-author Karol Markowicz tackled a range of hot-button issues—from the ongoing debate over transgender policies in sports and schools to New York City’s new composting law and California’s equity-based traffic fines.
At the center of the conversation was a clip from Daily Wire host Matt Walsh, who recently testified before a California legislative committee. Walsh argued that the debate over transgender participation in women’s sports should not be framed solely around fairness or safety but as a matter of truth.
“Men are not women,” Walsh stated bluntly. “Compelling women to take part in this untruth is evil, perverse, and predatory.”
Markowicz echoed the sentiment, saying that while some states have begun pushing back, the radical ideology behind gender identity is still deeply embedded in public institutions.
“We’re still far away from returning to reality,” she said. “But when that moment comes—and I do believe it will—you’ll hear the very people who pushed these extreme ideas pretend they never did.”
She cited California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent attempts to reframe his record on identity politics, as well as NPR CEO Katherine Maher’s attempts to distance herself from her own past remarks on race and American identity.
“It’s gaslighting in real time,” Markowicz said. “And it’s the same with the trans movement—once it becomes politically inconvenient, many of these same leaders will act like they never supported any of it.”
Markowicz and the hosts also discussed the recent incident involving a female fencer who took a knee in protest after being forced to compete against a biological male—only to be removed from the competition. “It’s the same story over and over,” said Jacobson. “Women are being pushed out of their own spaces and punished for objecting.”
Later in the segment, Markowicz weighed in on two recent urban policy ideas: San Francisco’s plan to adjust traffic ticket fines based on income, and New York City’s new mandatory composting program, which began issuing fines this week.
Both, she said, are prime examples of how poorly managed cities push “performative progressivism” at the expense of practical governance.
“These cities pass around their bad ideas like a virus,” she joked. “And unfortunately for Chicago, you’re probably going to get both.”
She described New York’s composting rollout as “insane” in a dense urban environment, noting that pilot programs attracted rats and maggots almost immediately. “You can’t compost in the middle of Manhattan like you’re living on a farm,” she said. “But that doesn’t stop them from trying.”
As for income-based traffic tickets in San Francisco, Markowicz warned it could further divide communities and increase resentment. “Some people will get an 80% discount on a ticket, while others will pay full price for the same offense. How is that just?”
Proft added that such policies reflect a broader philosophy: “If it sounds like a fun hobby to a progressive, they’ll just mandate it for everyone.”
Markowicz concluded by urging more Americans to pay attention to what’s happening at the local level. “They’re not just coming for your kids in the classroom,” she said. “They’re also coming for your garbage.”