Trans radicals, activists stage emergency protest after Washington state voters kick men out of girls’ sports

The measure requires elementary, middle, and high school students to compete in sports according to their biological sex rather than their so-called gender identity. Students must provide a signed statement from a healthcare provider verifying their biological sex.

The measure passed with 56.5 percent of the vote. It was celebrated by Let’s Go Washington, the conservative group behind the initiative. In a statement on election night, the group said, “This is a victory for girls... who have been told time and again by the majority party that their voices and opportunities don’t matter. [...] Tonight, those girls see that well over a million Washingtonians stand with them and care that their sports are safe and fair.”

The result, however, sparked backlash among far-left and trans-identifying activists across the Pacific Northwest. Demonstrators gathered at Seattle’s Westlake Park on Thursday night in opposition.

According to KUOW, Evan Gortner of Gender Equity Movement, the advocacy group that organized the protest, called the measure “the most extreme anti-trans ban on school sports in the country.”

“It was a big loss in a state like Washington that has been consistently very liberal and consistently ahead of the curve on especially social issues,” Gortner said. “It’s very sad to see.”

Additionally, lawyers with the ACLU of Washington have indicated they will challenge the measure.

The vote marks the latest effort by states to restrict biological males who identify as female from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. More than 25 states across the US have adopted similar bans, including Arizona and Nebraska, where voters most recently approved similar ballot measures.