WIAA director: Transgender champion brings attention to high school rules

High schools in Washington are considering new trans-athlete rules, partly due to high-profile cases.

“Last year, we had our first known state champion who was a transgender athlete, which brought a lot of internal attention,” Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) Executive Director Mick Hoffman said on KIRO Newsradio’s “The Gee and Ursula Show” Thursday.

The current policy, allowing students to compete on teams that align with their gender identity, has existed for 18 years. However, WIAA is currently deliberating two new proposals regarding the participation of transgender athletes in school sports.

“These proposals are being brought forward by school members, not our board or staff,” Hoffman clarified. “Any five schools can propose a rule change or amendment, and these came from a variety of different schools, predominantly from Eastern Washington and the northwest corner of the state.”

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One proposal, led by the Lynden School District, suggests a model where sports divided by gender would have a girls’ division and an open division. The second proposal aims to add a third division, creating boys’, girls’ and open divisions.

The decision-making process will begin in January, with the WIAA’s representative assembly, consisting of 53 voters from regional districts, deciding whether to accept or deny the amendments.

“The official vote will take place in April, requiring 60% approval,” Hoffman explained.

When asked about the number of transgender athletes in Washington, Hoffman admitted, “We don’t have exact numbers as students don’t have to identify as trans athletes. Nationally, the statistics suggest it’s a very small percentage.”

Despite the long-standing policy, Hoffman acknowledged the potential for legal challenges.

“Even if amendments are passed, if they’re found to violate state law, we cannot implement them,” he said, referencing Washington’s anti-discrimination laws.

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The trend across the country varies, with Hoffman estimating that 36 states do not allow athletes to compete in a gender different from their birth gender, while 14 states, including Washington D.C., have rules similar to Washington’s current policy.

As the WIAA prepares to address these proposals, the debate over transgender athletes in school sports continues to be a contentious issue, reflecting broader national discussions on gender identity and sports.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X and email him here.