Washington Officials Uphold Trans Athlete Policy Amid SCOTUS Appeal
State education leaders maintain current policies allowing transgender students to compete based on gender identity, despite a lawsuit alleging assault during a girls' wrestling match.
Officials in Washington state have stated they will continue to allow transgender students to compete in sports according to their gender identity, even as a legal challenge regarding the policy is pending before the Supreme Court. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) confirmed their stance following an appeal filed by a student and her mother.
The appeal stems from an incident in December where a female wrestler, identified as K.K., allegedly suffered a sexual assault during a match against an opponent she was not informed was biologically male. The lawsuit, filed by K.K. and her mother Stephanie Lynne Brown, seeks an injunction to prevent K.K. from being matched against male competitors in girls' wrestling events.
The OSPI, responsible for upholding state law regarding extracurricular activities, stated that it will continue to adhere to Washington's current policies unless the law is amended. A spokesperson for the superintendent's office indicated they have not issued any non-privileged statements or guidance to schools regarding the appeal.
This stance aligns with Washington Superintendent Chris Reykdal's previous responses to federal directives. In February 2025, Reykdal rejected an executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at restricting male athletes from participating in women's sports. Reykdal argued that the order compelled schools to discriminate against transgender athletes and conflicted with the Washington Law Against Discrimination, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity.
Reykdal has also spoken about the biological complexities of sex and gender, stating that categories are not strictly binary and that the state law supports participation based on gender identity. He has framed the issue as accommodating a small number of students, estimating that only about five to 10 out of nearly a quarter-million students in Washington interscholastic activities identify as transgender. He previously asserted that an executive order does not supersede state policy.
The WIAA echoed the OSPI's commitment to following state law, emphasizing that athletes are permitted to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity. The association stated it would revise policies if state law changes in the future but declined further comment on the ongoing litigation.
K.K.'s legal team, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court after lower courts denied preliminary injunctions. The ADF argues that the WIAA's gender-identity policy violates Title IX and parental rights, referencing the Supreme Court's recent decision in West Virginia v. B.P.J., which affirmed states' rights to limit girls' sports teams to biological females.
The requested relief includes allowing K.K. to compete this season without facing male opponents or ensuring her mother receives advance notification to opt out of such matches. Wrestling in Washington is scheduled to begin in mid-November. K.K. has reportedly expressed uncertainty about returning to the sport if the current policy remains in place without such accommodations. The Puyallup School District has previously informed K.K.'s mother that forfeiture was the only available remedy and that advance notice would not be provided.