Washington state’s high school sports league puts onus for trans athlete controversy on state laws
Washington’s high-school sports association says state law prevents it from changing its policy on transgender athletes, even if members vote for a change. The issue has drawn attention after about a dozen girls from Camas High School left a cross-country race rather than compete against a male runner who had switched from the boys’ team mid-season.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association says its gender-identity participation rules have been in place since the 2007-08 school year and allow students to compete in line with their gender identity. Three proposed amendments failed to reach the 60% approval threshold; the association says they would have conflicted with state law even if passed. Voters will decide on Initiative 638 on 3 November, which would restrict biological male students from some girls’ sports and require healthcare-provider verification of sex; Governor Bob Ferguson opposes the measure.
- WIAA says state law bars it from changing its transgender athlete policy.
- Camas runners protested a male teammate’s mid-season switch to the girls’ team.
- Washington voters will decide on sports restrictions in November.
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Washington high schools are governed in sport by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, which sets rules for participation across the state. Since 2007, its policy has allowed students to compete in line with their gender identity.
The association says state law limits its ability to change that policy. A separate proposal, Initiative 638, would restrict some girls’ sports to students whose sex is verified by a healthcare provider; voters are due to decide on it on 3 November.
The debate involves students, families, schools and state officials, and centres on how sports rules should balance access to teams with eligibility criteria. The outcome could affect participation rules for high-school sport across Washington.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the association’s policy argue that students should be able to take part in school sports in accordance with their gender identity, and that a longstanding statewide rule promotes inclusion and consistent treatment. They also argue that a sports association must follow the law currently in force, rather than enact amendments it believes would conflict with it.
The case against
Critics argue that girls’ sports need eligibility rules based on sex to preserve fair competition and meaningful opportunities for female athletes, particularly where physical advantages may affect results. They may see the Camas race as evidence that the current policy can create difficult choices for competitors, and support changing the law so schools can set sex-based limits while debating how to verify eligibility fairly and protect students’ privacy.