MEAD, Wash. — The Mead School Board has passed a resolution that pushes their effort to bar transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports.
Despite the resolution being passed, the resolution does not change any of Mead's participation policies. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) still permits students to play for the team "that is consistent with their gender identity."
According to the resolution, it claims that the current WIAA policy "does not provide a safe environment nor does it provide fair opportunities for female athletes in athletic competitions."
"The Mead School District does not support biological male athletes participating in biological female competition categories," the resolution reads.
The resolution states that the school district is calling on the WIAA "to have open dialog and discussion with its membership in order to restore fairness to all student-athletes."
The Mead School District is now listed as a "supporting school district" on policy amendment proposals from the Eastmont and Lynden school districts to the WIAA.
Eastmont shared a copy of its proposal exclusively with KREM 2.
According to the amendment proposal, Eastmont is asking WIAA to consider adding language to its student handbook under article 18.16.0: Gender Identity Participation that would say, "Athletic programs are offered separately for boys, girls and transgender." It says the change would reflect three gender-specific categories: Boys, Girls, and Transgender.
According to the proposal, Eastmont's proposal says, "three gender-specific categories for sports would preserve the equality of opportunity to participate in athletics while simultaneously creating an additional delineating category for differing genders."
"The intent of it is to record their time or distances or efforts a little bit differently than the traditional female at birth," Eastmont's Superintendent Becky Berg said. "It's not coming from a place of hate whatsoever. It's coming from the opposite. From a place of inclusion."
Spokane LGBTQ+ advocacy group, Odyssey Youth Movement, shared a statement on Mead' school district's support for Eastmont's proposed amendment.
Executive director Ian Sullivan wrote, "This draft amendment, just like the resolution language and comments made at the Mead School Board Meeting, is drenched in transphobia. Othering and separating out transgender students is not acceptable, and all of our young people deserve better. Transgender boys are boys, transgender girls are girls. Odyssey continues to stand by current WIAA policy and existing competition categories."
Eastmont's superintendent said Mead is one of six Washington school districts listed in support of its proposal: Thorp, Lynden, Cashmere, Colville, Moses Lake, and Mead.
Lynden school district, in Lynden, WA, shared a copy of its proposed amendment to WIAA student handbook policies with KREM on Tuesday. It’s asking WIAA to change language to article 18.16.0 Gender Identity Participation to say: “All students are encouraged to participate in WIAA athletics. Participation in girls' sports and girls' divisions is limited to students assigned female at birth.
Examples of girls' sports and girls' divisions within a sport include, but are not limited to:
Girls' Sports: Fastpitch, Volleyball (when no boys' or co-ed division exists)
Girls' Divisions within a Sport: Soccer, Wrestling, Basketball, Track & Field”
Lynden school district lists pros and cons to the proposed amendment including:
Pros: Clarity in eligibility, focus on fair competition, safety considerations, inclusivity and support for transgender students
Cons: Exclusion of transgender female athletes, perception of discrimination, complexity of appeal process, unresolved issues for intersex athletes
According to Lynden School district, 13 other Washington school districts are listed as supporting school districts on this proposed amendment. They are:
- Colville School District
- Okanogan School District
- Brewster School District
- Oroville School District
- Tonasket School District
- Lynden Christian Schools
- Lake Chelan School District
- Cashmere School District
- Grand Coulee Dam School District
- Omak School District
- Blaine School District
- Mansfield School District
- Mead School District