School district bans trans athletes from girls’ sports despite state allowing it
The Tumwater School District in Washington state has made a controversial decision to ban transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams. This move comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting transgender females from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
The school district’s board of directors voted 3-1 in favor of the resolution, with one member abstaining. Board member Jill Adams, who abstained from voting, expressed the difficulty of the situation, acknowledging the conflicting viewpoints surrounding the executive order.
Following the resolution, protesters disrupted a district meeting, leading to its cancellation. The decision by the Tumwater School District to ban trans girls from participating in girls’ sports teams has sparked national backlash, particularly after a civil rights complaint was filed on behalf of a teenage girl who refused to play against a transgender athlete.
The complaint alleges that the Tumwater School District in Washington is investigating a 15-year-old student for “misgendering” a transgender opponent during a basketball game. The student asked school administrators if the player was a biological male before the game, and upon confirmation that the player was transgender, chose to remove herself from the game.
The incident has ignited a debate over transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports in Washington state. While the state allows high school athletes to compete based on their gender identity, bills have been introduced to prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls and women’s sports.
Washington state Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal has defended the inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ sports, stating that it is inaccurate to claim there are only two genders biologically. Reykdal emphasized the importance of upholding state laws that allow children to participate based on their gender identity.
Despite President Trump’s executive order, Reykdal maintains that Congress, not the president, has the authority to issue a ban on transgender athletes in girls’ sports. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, a bill in Congress that mirrors Trump’s order, has passed in the House of Representatives but has yet to be voted on in the Senate.
In response to the controversy, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) proposed creating a separate open division for transgender athletes to compete in. This proposal follows similar actions taken by the Central Valley School Board in Washington, which sent a message to the WIAA addressing concerns over transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports.
The debate over transgender athletes in girls’ sports continues to be a contentious issue in Washington state and across the country. As the legal and social landscape evolves, the rights and inclusion of transgender individuals in sports will remain a topic of debate and discussion.
