Washington voters weigh ban on trans girls in girls' sports

Supporters say the measure would ensure fairness in girls' sports, protecting opportunities for girls to earn roster spots, championships and scholarships.

Opponents argue it discriminates against trans girls — and will create new barriers for all girls who want to compete.

What I-638 does

The ballot measure would bar trans girls and other students assigned male at birth from participating in school sports competitions designated for girls.

I-638's backers argue that allowing trans girls to compete against girls who aren't transgender creates an unfair competitive advantage.

• "Everyone should have access to sports — but girls shouldn't have to give up their spots to boys," Carol Brown, a former Olympic rower who supports I-638, recently told the Seattle Times editorial board.
• The ballot measure is being promoted by Let's Go Washington, a conservative political action committee.

Proposed medical requirements

If I-638 passes, all girls who want to participate in K-12 girls' sports would need to submit a statement from their health care provider verifying what the initiative calls their "biological sex."

• The verification would need to be based on at least one of the following: "the student's reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or normal endogenously produced testosterone levels," the measure's text says.

I-638 proponents say those requirements would create no new hurdles for girls, since all students already must have a physical examination before competing in sports.

But the statewide group that governs middle- and high-school athletics — the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) — says its current rules don't require visual checks of girls' genitals, DNA testing or hormone testing.

• Right now, students must obtain a medical professional's written clearance confirming they are fit to participate, according to the WIAA Handbook.
• The only required elements of the physical exam are a review of the student's medical history, a cardiopulmonary examination and a sport-specific orthopedic screening.

Debate over sex verification

Supporters of I-638 have argued that doctors could also rely on a student's medical history to verify their sex.

• "Your doctor knows what sex you are," Amy Sousa, an I-638 proponent, recently told KIRO 7. "There are no extra tests involved in this."

The initiative's language, however, doesn't specify that relying on past medical records would be sufficient.

• "My understanding is that old records cannot be used," Grace Shih, a University of Washington School of Medicine professor and UW family medicine doctor, wrote in an email to Axios.
• Even if past records were enough, obtaining them could be difficult because many girls change doctors frequently or "do not have a regular doctor," added Shih, who opposes the initiative.

"I think this creates a greater burden on young girls who want to access sports," state Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) said in a recent debate on I-638. "We are not asking the same of boys."

• Singling out and excluding trans girls would also "increase the risks of isolation, depression, inactivity, and other physical and mental health threats" among an already vulnerable population, the campaign against I-638 says on its website.

Caveat: Chromosomes, hormones and reproductive anatomy don't always fit neatly into male or female categories, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Students speak out

The debate over I-638 is also playing out among current and former high school athletes.

• About a dozen members of Camas High School's girls' cross-country team walked off the course during a recent meet to protest a teammate's eligibility under WIAA gender-identity rules, KUOW reported.
• Published race results show the student competed in a boys' race Sept. 5 before competing in girls' races in recent weeks.

The walkout drew praise from Tumwater High School senior Frances Staudt, who became a prominent I-638 advocate after sitting out a 2025 basketball game rather than compete against a team with a transgender player.

• "What an incredible act of courage," wrote Staudt, whose mother works as Let's Go Washington's development director, in a post on X.

Meanwhile, Verónica Garcia, a transgender runner who won the 2024 and 2025 state titles in the girls' 2A 400-meter dash, spoke out against I-638 last week.

• "I am the same Verónica Garcia that became the poster girl for all the hate and vitriol of anti-trans advocates," Garcia said at an Oct. 14 Spokane City Council meeting.
• "Sports in high school are about belonging, connection, growing, learning discipline and essential life skills," added Garcia, who attended East Valley High School in Spokane Valley.

By the numbers

It's not clear exactly how many transgender students compete in K-12 sports in Washington.

• The WIAA says it's aware of only about 10 transgender student athletes statewide each year, based on students' self-disclosures.
• "However, we acknowledge that there are likely others we are not aware of," WIAA spokesperson Sean Bessette told Axios.
• The association doesn't keep a definitive count, nor is it required, Bessette added.

What's next: Ballots must be returned to an official ballot drop box by 8pm Nov. 3 or mailed and postmarked by Election Day.