A female wrestler in the Puyallup School District is suing Washington state officials after being allegedly sexually assaulted by a male wrestler who identifies as female during a match. The 16-year-old student and her mother claim that the school district and state officials have failed to protect her rights under federal Title IX protections.

Background

The incident occurred six months ago, and the student’s mother immediately reported it to the school. However, the school did not take action until the incident was made public, and the case was eventually reported to law enforcement. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident, but the prosecutor declined to file charges.

Attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) are representing the student and her mother, arguing that Washington state’s policy allowing male athletes to compete in female sports violates federal Title IX protections. ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson stated that despite federal Title IX protections for girls in sports, Washington is among several states continuing to allow males who identify as female to compete against girls.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling soon on two major cases regarding state-level bans on transgender athletes. If the court upholds the restrictions, males would be prevented from competing on female sports teams in schools nationwide, regardless of how they identify.

Response from State Officials

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, who has ordered Washington school districts to allow male athletes who identify as female to compete in the gender category they identify with, did not provide comment on the lawsuit. However, his office is reviewing the case.

Puyallup School spokeswoman Sarah Gillespie declined to comment on the specifics of the incident, stating that the matter is under investigation and that student safety is a top priority.

Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.