Is WIAA Pressuring Schools to Allow Transgender Competitors?

We've heard the stories from around the nation about several female athletes who've protested, and even sued over, having to compete against transgender males who identify as females.

 As far back as February 2020, a trio of high level Connecticut female athletes sued after losing championships to transgender male athletes.

Some states have passed legislation banning such activity.

Now, Jason Rantz of AM 770 KTTH sheds light on new information released by the WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association), the governing body for high school sports in WA state.

The WIAA has released a guide, in conjunction with Pride Month, which includes the following statement (via MyNorthest.com):

“inclusive transgender and nonbinary youth sport best practices.”

Rantz says the WIAA makes misleading statements, including claiming that there isn't a clear biological advantage for transgender boys vs. girls. In fact, Rantz says the group argues that because many such athletes are 'not very good,' they don't pose a competitive threat to girls in competition.

Get our free mobile app

Rantz, and other critics, say that's a disingenuous argument, missing the point that especially by high school, male athletes do have noticeably higher physiological advantages. He points out this isn't to say that a girl cannot beat boys in certain sports; there are lots of girls in track who are faster than boys.

But biologically from the start, the make-up of their bodies gives man an advantage.

The WIAA also clouds the issue by allowing non-binary athletes (those who do not identify with one gender) to switch back and forth between boys and girls teams. This creates confusion for Districts as to which teams they will be able to compete for.

Rantz included this in his article:

"...According to the WIAA recommendations, a non-binary athlete can play for the girl’s team one season, then move to the boy’s team the next. The student-athlete must say the change is a “result of a deeper understanding of their gender identity.” Or, according to the guidance, it can be based on “optimizing the athlete’s confidence, safety, and privacy.”

 The WIAA is no stranger to confusing, some say even inept, policing. A few years ago, it took a Seattle Times investigation into widespread cheating by Bellevue High School's nationally ranked football team to spur the WIAA into taking action. In 2016 they were hit with the stiffest penalties in the history of the WIAA over a wide variety of recruiting, cheating, grade-fixing, and other illegal activity. But the WIAA failed to act on verifiable rumors for years that this was going on.

Now, we have this new guide about transgender and nonbinary athletes.

Rantz  points out that trans athletes should be allowed to compete, but not at the expense of fairness. To read more of his article, click on the button below.