By Kim von Henkle, Chuck Weinstock, Bailey de Iongh, and Jay Williamson
The No Hate in WA State campaign is working to defeat two initiatives on the November ballot, I-001 and I-638. These harmful initiatives challenge the safety and well-being of Vashon and Washington’s K-12 kids, particularly those who are LGBTQ+.
Our comments center on I-638, which would change current law to require medical sex certification as part of sports physicals for all girls’ participation in K–12 athletics, clearly targeting transgender girls. This would be a healthcare-provider statement verifying biological sex based on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or naturally produced testosterone levels … potentially expensive as well as invasive.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) is the statewide association of school sports and reports that about 110,000 girls are currently involved in some sport. Of these, the WIAA is aware of 5-10 transgender girls playing sports. Since reporting is voluntary, it is true that no one knows the exact number, but it isn’t an overwhelming number or even “a lot.” Girls’ sports are not being overwhelmed by biological boys. “Biological boys” pretending to be transgender girls can and should be denied participation.
Sports should help children develop skills, confidence, friendships, and teamwork. To be sure, safety matters, too. Rather than banning an incredibly small number of transgender girls, let’s take actions that promote safety. Here is a start:
- Parents, team officials, and sport associations: (1) carefully vet coaches, trainers, and sports medical providers, (2) report offenders, and (3) ban transgressors from organized athletics.
- Most sports involve physical contact with potential for injury. Creating actual safety starts with coaching and training that builds skills, sportsmanship, and respect for game rules. Making girls’ sports “safe” by banning transgender girls assumes all girls are some singular feminine body type.
- Game safety is the job of the referee and coaches by enforcing the rules and removing a participant who is dangerous.
The Vashon Island School District has a model anti-discrimination and gender-inclusive school policy that would be adversely impacted by these initiatives. Washington State already has a framework and toolkit for transgender and gender-diverse participation in all school athletics through the WIAA. This framework has been working effectively since its adoption in 2017. If other standards are needed, these would best be developed sport-by-sport by the WIAA and its members.
Gender transitioning is hard in today’s world. Transgender youth are subject to bullying, isolation, and violence. Participating in a team, being with friends and peers, and learning to do one’s best is healthy and empowering. Rather than writing a ban into state law, we should continue working toward policies that protect all students while allowing young people to experience the benefits of sports.
Finally, who supports and who opposes these initiatives? Regrettably the sponsor motives for the initiatives are not really safety or fairness, but rather part of a larger national culture war agenda. The two initiatives are projects of Let’s Go Washington (LGW), founded by a hedge fund multi-millionaire. LGW has raised about $7.3 million for the campaign with over $2 million from its founder. The major supporters of the Initiatives are the Washington State Republican Party, Moms for Liberty WA, and the Washington State Young Republicans. None of these organizations have a prior history of standing for issues affecting women. They do have a history of being anti-gay, anti-trans, and anti-women’s health issues.
The initiative is opposed by No Hate in WA State, which is focused on a world that is safe for kids to have the freedom to be themselves and supports ALL kids for success. The No Hate coalition includes over 150 organizations statewide plus local government, individual elected officials, churches, unions, and critically … doctors, nurses, school counselors, and other healthcare providers who work with youth.
Please vote NO on this initiative to protect Washington’s children while preserving their ability to participate in the benefits of school sports.
For more information on the No Hate in WA State campaign, https://nohatewastate.org
The authors are Vashon residents, parents, and volunteers with No Hate In Washington State.
