Washington Votes to Ban Transgender Girls from Sports Teams

Voters in Washington state have decided to ban transgender athletes from joining girls sports teams. This is a big loss for LGBTQ supporters in a state that usually leans Democratic.

As of Friday, with about 80 percent of votes counted, around 57 percent of voters agreed to the ban while 43 percent were against it. Those who opposed it have accepted that they lost.

The new rule will stop trans girls from “competing with and against female students.” This ban marks a sharp turn in a state that often supports Democratic candidates, especially after a disappointing midterm election for Republicans on November 3.

Some doctors were against the measure. They said it is “not backed by clinical guidelines, and would create unwarranted stress and harm for young girls.”

New Requirements for Girls Sports

Under the new rule, girls who want to play sports will need to have a physical exam of their reproductive organs or go through genetic and hormone testing.

In recent years, more than half of U.S. states have passed laws that limit the participation of transgender students in sports. The U.S. Supreme Court supported these state bans in June.

The Washington measure is one of the strictest among four similar measures that passed in elections this week. The others were approved in Arizona, Nebraska, and Colorado.

Republican lawmakers and anti-LGBTQ groups have targeted trans athletes, claiming their participation in girls and women’s sports is unfair. Civil rights supporters argue that these efforts unfairly blame a small group of people, many of whom are kids facing bullying and discrimination.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, over half of transgender youth have had suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. Additionally, 31 percent have attempted suicide at least once.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, which oversees school sports in the state, reported earlier this year that only 10 transgender middle and high school students play sports out of about 200,000 students competing statewide.

Libby Watson, the campaign manager of No Hate WA State, which opposed the Washington measure, described the initiative as “deceptive.” She said it was an effort “by MAGA forces to target trans kids for their own political gain.”

Watson called the results a “disappointment,” but added, “the fight is not over.” She also reached out to trans girls involved in school sports, saying, “we want you to know that you belong: on the field, on the court, on the team.”

She continued, “We stand with you and will continue to fight for a day when you can play sports without controversy.”