Washington girls walk off cross country meet in protest of male athlete, parents reveal how it came to this

Key Points:

• Holly Burns and about a dozen other girls at a Washington high school protested a cross-country race by refusing to compete against a transgender female athlete who had previously raced on the boys’ team, walking off the course and forfeiting the competition.
• The protest, which began with parents holding signs despite security challenges, has drawn widespread social media attention and highlights ongoing tensions in Washington state over transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports.
• The Burnses, Holly’s parents, support Initiative 638 on the upcoming ballot, which would restrict participation in female-only sports to students verified as biologically female, but the measure would take effect after the state championships.
• Washington state follows policies allowing athletes to compete consistent with their gender identity, a stance defended by state officials despite federal investigations and legal challenges, including a Supreme Court case related to transgender athletes.
• The Burnses plan to continue protesting and advocate for girls’ sports rights, expressing concern about the future of women’s athletic opportunities at all levels if current policies remain unchanged.