Washington Poll Shows Strong Support for Initiative Banning Transgender Athletes in Girls' Sports

A new poll commissioned by the group Let's Go Washington indicates that 56% of likely Washington voters intend to vote yes on Initiative 638, a measure that would ban biological males from competing in K-12 girls' sports. The poll, which surveyed 7,500 likely voters, found that 24% would vote no, and 22% remain undecided.

The initiative has garnered support across political affiliations, with 73% of Republican respondents, 48% of Democrats, and 52% of independents expressing support. Let's Go Washington's communications director, Hallie Herzberg, stated that the results align with their direct interactions with voters.

"We're not surprised by the results, because it's exactly what we've been hearing from people when we're making calls, knocking on doors and talking to people at events," Herzberg told OutKick. "The opposition is loud and they're intimidating and they're trying to bully people into being quiet, but we've seen and heard from people standing with us saying 'enough is enough, high school girls are not the villains.'"

If passed, Washington would become the first state where voters enact legislation to enforce gender separation in school sports, according to the measure's proponents. Currently, 27 states have laws prohibiting biological males from competing against girls in K-12 sports.

At a recent rally in Vancouver, Washington, for Initiative 638, several female athletes shared personal experiences of competing against biological males and sharing locker rooms with them. One athlete recounted an incident involving biological males in the girls' locker room before a basketball game, while another described facing a harassment investigation from the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) after referring to an 18-year-old male competitor as "a man."

Jennifer Sey, founder of XX-XY Athletics, has countered claims from opponents that the initiative could lead to invasive examinations, noting that none of the 27 states with similar policies conduct such tests.

Incidents in Washington have fueled the debate, including trans athlete Veronica Garcia winning the state's 400-meter title last year and a reported alleged assault by a trans athlete that led a Washington family to seek a Supreme Court injunction. Additionally, cross country runner Logan Mihailoff switched from the boys' team to the girls' team mid-season and has since won a varsity meet against girls.

Despite the poll's findings, Herzberg cautioned supporters against complacency, emphasizing that significant work remains to ensure the initiative's passage. The full methodology and margin of error for the poll have not yet been disclosed.