Rantz: Overdue girls’ flag football decision shows hypocrisy of WIAA on trans athletes
Apr 21, 2025, 4:00 PM
High school students participate in Girls Flag Football within Seattle Public Schools. (Photo courtesy of Seattle Public Schools)
(Photo courtesy of Seattle Public Schools)
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has declared girls’ flag football a new state sport. Just don’t ask them to define what a “girl” is.
This move is wise—and long overdue. Girls deserve a chance to play football safely, and there’s clearly enough interest for programs to flourish (the Seattle Seahawks even offered grants to help schools get started). But you can’t ignore the elephant in the end zone: the WIAA’s decision to let biological boys compete against girls.
They’re quick to acknowledge football can be dangerous for girls—yet they won’t admit that their redefinition of “girl” creates that very danger.
WIAA sends mixed messages on gendered sports
Flag football removes tackling to make the game safer.
That change makes sense, especially when girls might face faster, stronger boys. We’ve already seen transgender females causing injuries to girls both here and nationwide. And it’s obvious why nobody objects to transgender boys (biological girls) playing against boys: they don’t have any physical advantage.
Biological girls don’t suit up for tackle football against boys because they’d risk serious harm—or worse. Yet the WIAA tiptoes around that reality without ever saying it out loud.
It’s about safety and reality
Why girls’ flag football and not just flag football for all? This was an easy opportunity to open the sport to both genders and embrace the idea of gender-free sports. However, that approach would undermine the WIAA’s political stance that “feelings” can override biology.
But it accepts the premise that athletic boys perform better—or at a minimum, differently—than girls. Would there be as many girls getting time on the field when competing against boys who are faster or have stronger throwing arms?
They’re willing to accept that reality, quietly accepting that boys typically outperform girls athletically. But politically, they can’t admit that transgender girls enjoy a competitive edge. So they send mixed messages: acknowledging the danger but pretending it doesn’t exist.
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