Seattleites rally in support of trans girls after state voters approve sports ban

Hundreds of Seattle residents, parents, students and advocates rallied at Westlake Park on Thursday night to support transgender girls after Washington voters approved a state initiative restricting trans girls from competing in girls’ sports. The measure overturns a policy that had allowed K-12 students to play on teams aligned with their gender identity. Speakers said it would require documentation verifying “biological sex” before interscholastic competition, with testing options including genital checks, testosterone hormone tests, or chromosome tests. Organizers called it among the harshest bans in the country. Opponents say they will sue; the ACLU of Washington’s lawyers indicated they will fight I-638 in court.