Washington state officials are standing firm on the policy that lets students compete in sports according to their gender identity. The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) issued statements this week confirming they will not alter the rule while a Supreme Court application is pending.
Background of the case
The legal challenge stems from a Puyallup-area wrestler, Kallie Keeler, who alleges she was sexually assaulted during a girls’ wrestling match in December when her opponent was later identified as male. Keeler and her mother, Stephanie Lynne Brown, filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court, asking Justice Elena Kagan for an injunction that would prevent her from being matched against a male opponent and would require schools to give parents advance notice.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed the emergency request after a Tacoma federal judge denied a preliminary injunction on Aug. 23 and the Ninth Circuit refused an injunction pending appeal on Sept. 25. The filing argues that Washington’s gender‑identity rule violates Title IX and parental‑rights protections, citing the Supreme Court’s June 30 decision in West Virginia v. B.P.J., which held that states may limit girls’ teams to biological females.
State agencies’ response
OSPI, which does not run athletics but enforces state law on extracurricular activities, said it will continue to uphold Washington’s current law until it is changed by the legislature. “While OSPI does not oversee athletics in our state, our office is responsible for communicating, upholding, and enforcing the law, including in student athletics and extracurricular activities,” the superintendent’s office told OutKick. “OSPI will continue to uphold Washington’s current law unless or until the law changes. OSPI does not have any non‑privileged statement, board notice, or guidance that we have issued to schools or staff regarding this appeal.”
WIAA echoed the same stance, stating, “The WIAA remains committed to following Washington State law which permits student‑athletes to participate in sports consistent with the gender with which they identify. If state law changes in the future, the WIAA holds the authority to revise policies as necessary to remain in compliance with state law. The WIAA will not comment further on a matter in litigation.”
State leadership rejects federal order
Washington Superintendent Chris Reykdal has openly rejected President Trump’s February 2025 executive order that sought to bar male athletes from girls’ and women’s sports. In a Feb. 6 statement, Reykdal called the order an unlawful attempt to force schools to discriminate against trans female athletes in exchange for federal funds. He said the order conflicted with the Washington Law Against Discrimination and state school rules, adding, “Our state law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity, and we will not back down from that.”
Reykdal further explained that the notion of only two biological sexes is inaccurate, noting the existence of intersex children and variations in hormones and chromosomes. He framed the policy as a modest accommodation, estimating that “roughly five to ten youth” out of nearly a quarter‑million students in Washington interscholastic activities have identified as trans. “If we can’t accommodate the needs of five or ten people, who are we?” he asked.
What’s at stake for the wrestler
Keeler, who has wrestled since age four, left her team in January after a kickoff event and says she may not return if she could again be paired with a male opponent without warning. The district previously told her mother that forfeiture was the only remedy and that advance notice would not be provided.
Wrestling in Washington is set to begin in mid‑November, and the appeal could affect how schools handle match‑ups this season. Neither the Puyallup School District nor the Washington State High School Athletics Association offered further comment beyond their official statements.
Implications
The dispute highlights the clash between state policies that protect gender‑identity rights and a federal executive order aimed at preserving biological‑sex categories in school sports. While the Supreme Court has not yet ruled on the specific request, the case could set a precedent for how states balance parental‑rights claims, Title IX obligations, and the rights of transgender youth in athletics.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
