High School Girl Sues After Alleged Assault During Wrestling Match

A high school girl in Washington is taking legal action against her school district and the state, claiming she was assaulted during a wrestling match by a male student who identified as a female.

Callie Keeler, a 16-year-old sophomore at Rogers High School in Puyallup, reported that the incident happened during a girls’ wrestling match against Emerald Ridge High School on December 6.

According to her account, she was on the mat when the male student, identifying as a woman, got on top of her and attempted to push his fingers between her legs.

Following the incident, Keeler filed a complaint with the school district, which led to an investigation that, she argues, didn’t yield satisfactory results. Washington state has policies designed to support the rights of transgender students, which complicates the matter.

Now, Keeler is pursuing a lawsuit.

Kate Anderson, a director with the ADF Center for Parental Rights, stated, “Washington State authorities insist on advancing gender ideology at all costs, even at the expense of girls’ safety and privacy.”

Keeler has been wrestling since she was four, and during the encounter, she didn’t realize she was competing against a male student. ADF attorney Suzanne Beecher mentioned that Keeler’s mother reported the incident to the school immediately, but there was little communication for months, and only after media attention did the school take action to inform law enforcement.

Beecher highlighted that the state’s guidelines for transgender athletes might violate federal rules, specifically Title IX, which is meant to ensure equality in sports.

The lawsuit names both the Puyallup School District and the state, with claims focused on the need for fair competition and awareness regarding who is competing in women’s divisions.

The goal, as Beecher explained, is to advocate for Keeler’s right to compete fairly and for her mother to be informed regarding any male participation in women’s events, along with seeking compensation for the incident.