Washington is now at the center of a political firestorm after a transgender girl won an event at the state’s high school track and field championships.
Verónica Garcia, a transgender student from East Valley of Spokane, took first place in the Class 2A 400-meter dash this past weekend. Not everyone in attendance sought to celebrate her victory.
“We wanted to stand up for girls in Washington state,” said Beth Daranciang, who drove to the championships in Tacoma from Seattle to protest Garcia’s involvement in the girls’ championship.
Daranciang joined several others who held signs and handed out bracelets that read, “Girls Deserve Fair Sports!”
The Tumwater High School girls’ track team took part in their own protest too: wearing t-shirts that read “Keep Women’s Sports Female” as they accepted their awards.
Photos from the event have circulated widely online, and headlines about Garcia’s victory have reached the national stage.
“This isn’t really about a single athlete,” said Danni Askini, Executive Director of the Gender Justice League. “I think it galvanizes a population of people who are looking for a 1% of the population to blame for our problems.”
Askini, who is openly transgender, said she was immensely proud of Garcia.
“Young people, all young people, have the right to belong in their communities, to feel safe, to feel accepted,” Askini said.
Washington law allows students to compete in sports that align with their gender identity, permitting transgender athletes to play in leagues that they feel most comfortable with.
Daranciang and those who joined her in protesting over the weekend disagree with that policy.
“We know that that boys can outrun girls,” she said. “That’s been known forever, and it’s just not fair for a male to come in and take over.”
The state’s superintendent said earlier this year that only about five to ten interscholastic athletes in Washington identify as transgender.
It’s not the first time Tumwater students have taken a stand against transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports.
Two basketball players from the Tumwater High School Girls Basketball team sat out of a game in protest of a trans player on the Shelton team earlier this year.
The Tumwater School District also voted to ban transgender athletes from playing on girls’ sports teams earlier this year too.
In a statement about the track event, a district spokesperson said the school district supported the students’ right to free speech in wearing the shirts after their event.
“We recognize the importance of fostering a respectful environment for all students and are committed to maintaining inclusive and supportive spaces in our schools and at school-sponsored events,” the spokesperson added. “As a district, we are working to navigate the complexities of following state and federal laws and adhering to district policies and procedures. Of utmost importance is to provide an environment where ALL students feel safe, valued, and cared for.”
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