SPOKANE, Wash – The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association is set to vote on 35 amendments to its handbook.
The amendments cover everything from who’s eligible to participate in a sport to what happens when a student is ejected from an activity two or more times.
There is also an advisory-only vote limiting participation in girls’ sports to biological females.
It’s only an advisory vote and if it passes, the amendment would not be implemented under current state law.
The amendment is modeled after Alaska’s program which does away with boys’ sports and creates an open division for all students. The amendment would create eligibility restrictions for girls’ sports and divisions.
Here is the text of the amendment.
GENDER IDENTITY PARTICIPATION – All Students are encouraged to participate in WIAA athletics and/or activities. All student-athletes regardless of sex, gender identity, or gender expression who meet eligibility criteria are allowed to participate in the ‘Open Category.’ However, in order to maintain fair and equitable competition, participation in the ‘Girls Category’ is limited to students whose biological sex is female as defined in Appendix 3.
Open Category Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Dance/Drill, Football, Golf, Soccer, Swimming & Diving, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling
Girls Category Sports: Girls Basketball, Girls Bowling, Girls Cross Country, Girls Flag Football, Girls Golf, Girls Gymnastics, Girls Soccer, Girls Fastpitch Softball, Girls Slow-pitch Softball, Girls Swimming & Diving, Girls Tennis, Girls Track & Field, Girls Volleyball, and Girls Wrestling.
For eligibility determination, biological sex may be verified using an original birth certificate or, if unavailable, an affidavit from a licensed physician. In rare cases involving student athletes with differences in sex development such as intersex conditions, appeals should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in accordance with WIAA Handbook Rule 19.0.0. Student Appeals of Ineligibility.
The amendment was brought forth by 12 school districts including Colville, Omak, Moses Lake and Mead.
The WIAA voted on a set of similar amendments last year.
One measure would have limited participation in girls’ sports to biological females. The other would have created an open division, in addition to boys and girls divisions, meaning transgender athletes could participate in the open category.
Both of those amendments failed.
The WIAA will discuss language and content of each proposed amendment during its Winter Coalition meeting on January 26th. A vote to finalize the amendments will be held in April.
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