Parents sue to stop Washington state trans sports ban that could require ‘invasive’ genital exams

Voters adopted extreme policy requiring medical sex verification for all girls who want to play team sports

Parents of student athletes in Washington state have sued to block a ballot initiative banning transgender girls from women’s sports teams, calling the measure discriminatory and warning it would lead to “invasive” genital examinations for female athletes.

Last week, voters in the solidly Democratic state passed Initiative 638, a major setback for LGBTQ+ rights amid the “blue wave” of the US midterm elections. Nebraska, Colorado and Arizona adopted similar anti-trans sports bans, though advocates say Washington state’s policy is particularly extreme due to its medical sex verification requirement for all girls who want to play team sports.