Washington State's public leadership manager Chris Lakedal spoke in defense of transgender athletes in women's sports on Thursday, claiming that it was “inaccurate” to say they only have two genders.
“Biologically, it's very inaccurate to say that there are only boys and only girls,” Lakedal said. “There's a continuum. There's a science. There's an intersex-born child. There's a child whose hormones and chromosomes do not match their gender at birth.
“That's not a discussion today. I just want to remind you of our civil rights obligations. Our state law makes it clear that children can identify and participate based on the gender they are identifying. I support the law.”
Lakedal served three terms as a Democrat in the Washington House of Representatives in District 22.
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While criticizing President Donald Trump's recent executive order, the school has banned trans athletes from allowing trans athletes to participate in women's sports, but Lakedall talks about how many trans athletes there are in his state cited statistics.
“Of the approximately 5 million children participating in athletics and activities between Washington State statistics, about 5-10 young people identify themselves as trans who participate in those activities. I did,” Lakedal said. “If we can't meet the needs of five or ten people — whether all students have privacy access and opportunities for privacy, that's what our laws and regulations say — we can do that. If not, who are we?”
Lakedal claimed that Trump has not made the president the power to ban trans-athletes in women's sports, but he has allowed the US Congress to do so. Protection of women and girls in the sports law is a legislation in Congress that implements similar requirements to Trump's orders, and has already been passed in the House. He has not voted in the Senate yet.
“Until Congress changes the law or our state legislature changes the law, we will be following the current laws of this state and the current civil rights framework.
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High school athletes in Washington are permitted to compete on the basis of gender identity rather than biological sex. The Washington Scholastic Activities Association (WIAA) policy states that each athlete will participate in a program that “matches gender identity or the most consistently expressed gender” with no medical or legal requirements .
A bill has been introduced that prohibits transgender girls from participating in sports for girls and women, but has not passed.
However, the issue was so concerned with residents that in December the WIAA announced a proposal to create another open division for trans athletes to compete.
“To maintain fair and fair competition, girls' sports and girls' sports divisions are restricted to students assigned women at birth. The purpose of this policy is to: “To be clear about – Diverse student-athletes. Furthermore, this policy encourages a culture where student-athletes can compete in a safe, supportive environment without discrimination,” the proposal states.
The proposal came weeks after the Central Valley Board of Education, which oversees the Spokane Valley schools. Lake Liberty, Washingtonvoted to send a message to the WIAA on the issue after discussion at the school board meeting.
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The resolution “supporting fairness and safety in women's sports” claims that the entire board consists of female members who competed in athletics or have daughters competing in athletics.
One of the women, an unidentified current cross-country runner, shared her experiences at the hearing.
“When I ran cross country for Greenacres Middle School, a boy who was biologically male but competed on the girls team,” she said. “I respect everyone's right to participate in sports, but the situation has made me question the fairness of someone with physical benefits associated with male biology.”
In May, a trans athlete competed in the Women's Cross Country Championship and won.
The athlete won the 400-meter heat race in the women's division in 55.59 seconds. The runner in second place finished in 58.83 seconds. In the final, the Transathlete won with a time of 55.75 seconds.
Civil Rights this week A complaint has been filed On behalf of a Washington state teenage girl, along with the U.S. Department of Education's Civil Rights Office, she was allegedly punished for refusing to play a basketball game with a trans athlete.
The complaint alleged the Tanwater School District. In Washington He investigates 15-year-old Francis Stowd for “mistakes” his partner and violating district policies against bullying and harassment.
According to the documents, prior to the game, Staudt asked the school's principal and athletic director if the player was a biological male. The administrator has since said they confirmed that the player was notified that he was transgender, but pleaded to remove the player. Staudt removed himself from the game.
President Trump's Department of Education has already launched a Title IX investigation into state high school athletic conferences in California, Minnesota and Maine, as he refused to comply with his executive order.
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