ADF Seeks to Join I-638 Lawsuit as 5 Athletes Push Washington Girls' Sports Ban
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Nov 14
ADF Seeks to Join I-638 Lawsuit as 5 Athletes Push Washington Girls' Sports Ban
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 14
Summary
A Nov. 13 motion asks King County Superior Court to let Female Athletes United intervene as a defendant to help defend Washington’s voter-approved Initiative 638 before it takes effect on Dec. 3.
ADF argues the state cannot fully represent the athletes’ interests because Washington previously defended transgender participation in girls’ sports, while FAU wants the court to consider Title IX, the U.S. Constitution and state-law arguments for female-only teams.
The ACLU-backed challenge—filed by parents, TransFamilies and the Washington Education Association—says I-638 violates Washington constitutional privacy and equal-rights protections by excluding transgender girls and requiring sex verification only in girls’ sports.
Five athletes submitted declarations backing the motion, with some saying they competed against a transgender runner and could leave school teams for club sports if the initiative is blocked.
Attorney General Nick Brown said Nov. 12 he hired Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner to defend the measure, saying outside counsel would handle the case while his office continues protecting transgender rights.