WASHINGTON D.C. — Two female high school athletes in Washington state have filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, claiming that state policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports violate federal law.
Soleil Hoefer, a senior at Prosser High School, and Kora Lengerich, a freshman at Gonzaga Preparatory School, argue that the current policy, which permits biological males to compete in female sports based on gender identity, creates an unfair advantage.The complaint points to a male athlete from East Valley High School in Spokane, who previously competed on a boys’ team and now dominates the girls’ 400-meter race. This athlete won last year’s state championship in the event and is expected to win again.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Controversy follows Spokane Valley transgender athlete named championHoefer, who has earned a college soccer scholarship and competes in multiple track events, expressed frustration with the policy. “It’s fundamentally unfair that despite all our hard work, we are being forced to race against athletes with inherent biological advantages,” Hoefer said in the complaint.Lengerich, who competes in the 400-meter and other events, shared her own experience after competing against the same male athlete at a recent invitational. The male athlete took first place, and Lengerich finished fourth, missing a podium spot by one place. “Kora worked hard for a podium spot and was denied it because of this policy,” her mother, Kimberly Lengerich, said.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: State Law vs. Federal Rules: How Washington schools are dealing with transgender athlete participationThe complaint was filed by Katherine Anderson and Suzane Beecher, both attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom. They argue that the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) policy, which allows athletes to compete based on gender identity, violates Title IX, which guarantees equal opportunities for women in sports.The attorneys contend that the WIAA’s guidelines lack physical requirements to ensure fairness for female athletes.“We are asking the Office for Civil Rights to investigate and require the WIAA to change its policy, ensuring that students compete in sex-designated sports categories,” Anderson said.The athletes are requesting an investigation and changes to ensure that female athletes can compete fairly in sports based on biological sex rather than gender identity. “We want equal opportunity to compete and win in our own sports,” Hoefer said.
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