Washington voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to approve Initiative 638, a ballot measure that would bar biological males from competing in girls’ K-12 sports in the state. The measure qualified for the ballot after organizers gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures statewide.
Twenty-seven other states already separate biological males from females in K-12 sports, but each of those policies was enacted through state legislatures rather than approved directly by voters. If Washington voters pass Initiative 638, it would become the first state in the country to establish such a policy through a popular vote — and the first state that President Donald Trump lost in 2024 to put one into law.
Supporters of the measure gathered at a rally in Vancouver, Wash., last Saturday to share personal accounts ahead of the vote.
Frances Staudt, a senior at Tumwater High School, said she chose not to play against a biological male in a high school basketball game and said she has since faced daily harassment in her school’s hallways over that decision. She said the male athlete had also been present in her locker room before the game.
“If we can show that a state like Washington has enough common sense to stand up for the girls and women, then any other state can do so as well,” Staudt said. “I think we need people to know that it’s possible to be done.”
Other women at the rally described similar experiences. Alanna Smith, a college sprinter at Georgia Southern, said she competed in high school against a biological male while chasing the Connecticut State Open title. Bailey Andersen, a former high school basketball player, recalled a 6-foot biological male outjumping her 6-foot-3 teammate at an opening tip, and said she also saw mustached boys in the girls’ locker room before that game. Kendall Kotzmacher, a college softball player from Minnesota, said she lost a high school state championship game to a team that started a biological male at pitcher. Sadie Sullivan, a former high school swimmer, said she regularly encountered biological males in her locker room while changing and that hearing male voices in that space “freaked me out.”
A Similar Vote in Colorado
Colorado voters face a comparable measure on their Nov. 3 ballot, also restricting biological males from competing in girls’ school sports. Jennifer Sey, founder of XX-XY Athletics and a former national-team gymnast, attended Saturday’s Washington rally despite living in Colorado. Sey said she hopes passage of both measures could lead to a “cascade” of similar legislation nationwide.
Opposition and Disputed Claims
Several local officials have criticized the Washington measure, including Tacoma City Councilmember Olgy Diaz, who last July warned it would subject girls to “invasive genital inspections.” The Seattle City Council and King County Democrats have made similar statements, with King County Democrats describing I-638 as requiring girls “to undergo genital inspection to play sports at school.”
Brandi Kruse, who hosts the Washington-based podcast “Undivided” and emceed Saturday’s rally, disputed those characterizations.
“It’s interesting that the one argument the other side has not made and has not attempted to make, is that it’s perfectly fine for boys to compete against girls,” Kruse said. “They know that’s a losing argument, so instead they make things up. They say that if you pass this initiative, then girls will have to get invasive genital exams… your doctor knows what your gender is.”
Outside the rally venue, one man held a sign reading, “if you are not an antifascist, what are you?” He declined to give his name and would only be photographed with his face covered by the sign. Asked about the issue, he said, “If you got beat by a biological male, sorry,” and when asked about boys changing in girls’ locker rooms, responded, “Just throw it all into the ridiculous propaganda bucket.”
Recent Incidents Cited
Supporters of the initiative pointed to several recent cases in Washington state. Last year, transgender track athlete Veronica Garcia, representing East Valley High School in Spokane Valley, won the state title in the 400 meters. This year, a transgender athlete at Camas High School switched to the girls’ cross-country team midseason and has been a leading competitor. Separately, a Washington family has requested a Supreme Court injunction after their daughter was allegedly assaulted by a transgender athlete last year.
Kotzmacher said she has received death threats and that some detractors have threatened to show up at her home or college, but said she intends to keep speaking publicly.
“I think that’s the entire goal is to try and scare me back into being silent,” Kotzmacher said. “But at this point, nothing’s going to stop me and nothing’s going to stop the other girls.”
The Nov. 3 vote will determine whether Initiative 638 becomes law in Washington.
