About 12 Washington Girls Walk Off Cross-Country Race Over Male Competitor
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 14
About 12 Washington Girls Walk Off Cross-Country Race Over Male Competitor
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 14
Summary
About a dozen Camas High runners, including Holly Burns, walked off a Washington cross-country meet on Oct. 13 rather than race against an athlete who had switched from the boys’ team to the girls’ team.
Half the field and the disputed runner started normally, while the protesting girls crossed the line slowly and left the course together, giving up one of their high school competitions.
Camas School District said it follows Washington law and WIAA eligibility rules, but Burns’ parents said those policies leave female athletes without a fair way to compete.
The protest drew security challenges over parents’ signs, split reactions from other adults at the meet, and viral social-media attention that the family said could lead to more organized demonstrations.
The dispute lands as Washington voters weigh Initiative 638 on Nov. 3 and as separate state fights over transgender athlete eligibility face federal scrutiny and a pending Supreme Court request.