Washington Continues Gender Identity Policy for Student Athletes

Officials from Washington’s high school athletics association and the state’s education department have confirmed that students will still be allowed to compete based on their gender identity, even as the Supreme Court is considering a case regarding girls’ wrestling.

The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) made this announcement following a request for an injunction from Kallie Keeler and her mother, Stephanie Lynne Brown. Keeler, a wrestler from the Puyallup area, alleged she was sexually assaulted by a male competitor during a girls’ match last December without prior notification of his gender.

OSPI, while not directly managing athletics, enforces state laws on extracurricular activities and upheld the current policy in a statement, emphasizing their commitment to the existing law.

“OSPI doesn’t oversee athletics, but we must communicate and enforce the law in student athletics and other activities,” the superintendent’s office stated. They indicated that they would continue to follow Washington’s law unless it changes, and mentioned that they haven’t issued any notices or guidance about the appeal.

In February 2025, after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at barring male athletes from women’s sports, Washington Superintendent Chris Reykdal outright rejected the mandate. At that time, he expressed that it forced schools to discriminate against transgender female athletes for federal funding.

Reykdal referred to the order as unlawful, asserting that it conflicted with state laws against discrimination and added that Washington would not waver from its stance on gender identity.

He also elaborated on the topic of gender categorization, stating, “It is inaccurate to say there are only boys and only girls biologically.” He acknowledged that some children are intersex and explained that the science behind gender identity is complex.

Reykdal asserted that students should be able to identify and compete according to their gender identity and reiterated the importance of accommodating the needs of this small group of students, estimating that five to ten youth identify as transgender among the state’s student-athletes.

“If we can’t accommodate the needs of five or 10 people, who are we?” he questioned, emphasizing that executive orders do not equate to law and do not overrule state policies. OSPI advised schools to comply with the gender identity rules while preparing guidance to address the executive order.

In light of Keeler’s appeal to the Supreme Court, the WIAA also confirmed its dedication to Washington law, which allows student-athletes to participate in sports aligned with their gender identity. They noted that if laws were to change, they would adjust accordingly but refrained from commenting on ongoing litigation.

However, neither entity addressed the legal relief that Keeler is seeking, which is to wrestle this season without competing against a male or to allow her mother to receive notice to opt out of the competition without penalty. The wrestling season is set to start in mid-November.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed an emergency application after a federal judge in Tacoma denied a preliminary injunction on August 23, and the Ninth Circuit also denied an injunction pending appeal on September 25. The filing argues that WIAA’s policy on gender identity breaches Title IX and infringes on parental rights, citing a recent Supreme Court decision that affirmed states could restrict girls’ teams to biological females.

Keeler has been wrestling since she was four years old but left the team earlier this year after an incident that left her hesitant about returning if such matches were to occur again without prior notice. The school district previously informed her mother that the only option was forfeiting and that pre-match notifications wouldn’t be provided.

The Puyallup School District has not responded to requests for comments regarding the situation.