John L. Braese
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) is scheduled to take up the issue of transgender student athletes at the high school level in two proposed amendments to be voted on April 9-18, 2025.
A total of 32 votes will be needed among the 53 school administrators making up the representative assembly for an action to be passed.
Rule 18.16.0 would limit participation in girls’ sports to students assigned female at birth. Although not state law, the rule would apply to all sports, both high school and middle school, in Washington. As of July 2024, 25 states have laws banning transgender student athletes from participating in K-12 sports based on their declared gender identity.
The language is in stark contrast to the current language stating “once the student has been granted eligibility to participate in the sport consistent with their gender identity, the eligibility is granted for the duration of the student’s participation and does not need to be renewed every sports season or school year.”
This language would be replaced with “in order to maintain fair and equitable competition, participation in girls’ sports and girls’ divisions of sports is restricted to students who were assigned female at birth.”
The change was submitted by 14 school districts in the state and is patterned after an Alaska program which offers an open division for student athletes.
In a discussion regarding the possible change, it is noted a possible legal challenge could occur at both the state and federal level and any appeal process could involve medical evaluations.
If approved, the rule would not apply to club sports or recreation league sports not governed by the WIAA.
A separate but also included in 18.16.0 would offer athletic programs separately for boys, girls and an open division.
Currently, student athletes compete separately as boys or girls “consistent with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed”.
This amendment would create a third classification, an open class. This open class would be open to transgender student athletes and to those in the process of transition that are in the process of medical changes. Those approved in the open class would not need to renew every sports season or school year.
The call for an open class comes after Washington’s 2024 state track and field championship saw an athlete who had competed as a boy in previous years win the state championship competing in a girl’s race.
If approved, these two rulings would have authority over Oregon schools crossing the border for Washington hosted events.
