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Washington state proposes high school sports division for transgenders, separating them from female athletes

11 December 2024 at 13:11

The state of Washington could be one of the first in the nation to introduce a third gender category for high school sports in order to prevent biological males from competing against girls. 

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) announced a proposal to create a separate open division for transgender athletes to compete in. One of the amendments proposes the creation of a girl's division and an open division in which athletes could participate, regardless of whether their gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth.

"In order to maintain fair and equitable competition, participation in girls' sports and girls' divisions of sports is restricted to students who were assigned female at birth. The purpose of this policy is to offer clarity with respect to the participation of trans and gender-diverse student-athletes. Additionally, this policy encourages a culture in which student-athletes can compete in a safe and supportive environment, free of discrimination," the proposal reads.

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The state's high school athletes are currently allowed to compete based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex. The WIAA policy states that each athlete will participate in programs "consistent with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed," and there are not even any medical or legal requirements. Bills that would prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls' and women's sports have been introduced but not passed.

Washington is one of 25 states in the U.S. to have laws in place to protect trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports. 

The proposal comes weeks after a school board in the state voted to send a letter to the WIAA pleading for it to reconsider its current rules that allow trans athletes to compete against females. 

The Central Valley School Board, which oversees schools in Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake, Washington, voted to send a message to the WIAA over the issues after much debate at a school board meeting.

The resolution, titled "Supporting Equity and Safety in Female Sports," claims that the entire board is comprised of female members who have either competed in athletics themselves or have daughters who competed in athletics.

One of the women, an unidentified current cross-country runner, shared her experience during the hearing.

"When I ran cross-country for Greenacres Middle School, a boy who was biologically male but identified as female competed on the girls' team," she said. "While I respect everyone's right to participate in sports, the situation made me question the fairness of competing of someone who had the physical advantage associated with male biology."

In May, a trans athlete competed in a girls' cross-country championship and won. 

Veronica Garcia, who was previously known as Devina Brown and Donovan Brown, won the 400m heat race in the girl's division with a time of 55.59 seconds. The second-place runner finished at 58.83 seconds. In the finals, Garcia won with a time of 55.75 seconds, a full second ahead of the second-place runner who finished with 56.75.

SJSU TRANSGENDER VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: TIMELINE OF ALLEGATIONS, POLITICAL IMPACT AND A RAGING CULTURE MOVEMENT

The victory prompted outrage by women's rights activists, including former NCAA swimmer and OutKick contributor Riley Gaines. 

The idea of a third gender category in high school and college sports to accommodate trans athletes has been floated as opposition to trans inclusion has stirred outrage across the country over the last year. Deep-blue states like Washington, as well as Oregon and California, which also have laws in place to protect trans inclusion, have been considered the places where a third category makes the most sense due to the influx of trans athletes competing against females in those states. 

Steve Garvey, the former California Senate candidate and Los Angeles Dodgers World Series champion, previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview that he would support President-elect Trump's ban on trans athletes in girls' and women's sports, and that he believes trans athletes should compete against each other. 

In Riverside, California, Martin Luther King High School is facing a student uprising over the issue after two cross-country runners wore T-shirts that read "Save Girls' Sports," in response to a trans athlete taking a varsity roster spot from a female athlete. 

The two female athletes filed a lawsuit against the school, and another teammate gave an impassioned plea during a board meeting, which went viral on social media, to remove the trans athlete from the team. Now, hundreds of the school's students have committed to wearing the T-shirts every week. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Appeals court rules US can deport illegal immigrants despite local objections in win for incoming Trump admin

3 December 2024 at 15:38

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can continue using a Seattle airport for chartered deportation flights in a win for incoming President-elect Trump's administration, a federal appeals court ruled.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling rejected a 2019 local executive order that sought to counter then-President Trump’s immigration policies, saying that King County, Washington violated its contract by prohibiting deportations at King County International Airport, which is also known as Boeing Field.

The court ruled that the order was unlawful because it discriminated against ICE and targeted federal operations. In 2019, Trump used Boeing Fields to deport illegal migrants from the U.S. and the local county sought to block the president's removal operations.

MIGRANT ACCUSED OF VIOLENT CRIMES ARRESTED BY ICE AFTER MASSACHUSETTS COURT REFUSED TO HONOR DETAINER

The order prompted ICE to begin using an airport in Yakima, Washington — a much longer drive from ICE’s Northwest detention center— for the deportation flights.

"The relocation increased operational costs due to the greater distance from ICE detention facilities to the airport. It also led to increased security concerns," the ruling noted.

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In response, a legal battle with King County ensued. The U.S. in 2020 sued the county, alleging that it violated the terms of a World War II-era contract that guarantees the federal government’s right to use the airport along with discriminating against ICE.

DEM GOVERNOR THREATENS TO USE 'EVERY TOOL' TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST TRUMP-ERA DEPORTATIONS

In a ruling on Friday, Nov. 30, 9th Circuit Judge Daniel A. Bress upheld the court's decision. In the ruling, obtained by Fox News Digital, he wrote that, "this is not a situation in which King County officials are being conscripted into carrying out federal immigration laws on the federal government’s behalf."

"Instead, the United States is asking King County, in its capacity as the owner of a public airport facility, to lift a discriminatory prohibition on private parties’ ability to engage in business with the federal government that supports federal immigration efforts," the ruling states.

The new order also calls for transparency around any deportation flights. 

The airport now offers a conference room where the public can observe deportation flights on a video feed, and the county posts a log of deportation flights from the airport on its website.

The ruling is a win for the incoming Trump administration. The president-elect has vowed to initiate deportation efforts on his first day back in office.

His promise was cemented by his pick of "border czar," Tom Homan

"If you don’t want to work with us, then get the hell out all the way. We’re going to do it,’ Homan recently said.

DENVER MAYOR MIKE JOHNSTON SAYS TRUMP'S MASS MIGRANT DEPORTATIONS WILL CREATE ‘TIANANMEN SQUARE MOMENT’

Trump's election has prompted blue city officials to voice their opposition against Trump's deportation efforts. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said that he is prepared to go to jail in opposition to Trump's plans.

The governors of Illinois, Arizona and Massachusetts have said that they also won’t assist the administration in the operation. 

In Illinois, Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker promised to uphold sanctuary status, boldly declaring, "If you come for my people, you come through me."

Arizona's Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs said her state will not be helping in what she called a "misguided" plan. 

"What I will unequivocally say is that, as governor, I will not tolerate efforts that are part of misguided policies that harm our communities, that threaten our communities, that terrorize our communities, and Arizona will not take part in those," Hobbs said.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey insisted that Massachusetts state police would "absolutely not" help the Trump administration's planned deportations. 

Dem attorneys general prepare for legal battle with Trump after filing hundreds of challenges last term

26 November 2024 at 01:00

Roughly half the country is represented by Democratic attorneys general, and a significant number seem ready to confront President-elect Donald Trump, just as many did during his first term.

Twenty-three states plus the District of Columbia and Northern Marianas Islands have Democrats as their top law enforcement officers, and many have positioned themselves as a line of defense against a Trump administration.

The most prolific state-government-litigant last term was Washington Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson, who as attorney general filed or was party to suits against the Trump administration 99 times. He lost three times.

He litigated the Muslim "travel ban," and has expressed concern about Trump-era changes to abortion, immigration and LGBTQ policy.

NJ GOV SAYS HE'LL ‘FIGHT TO THE DEATH' AGAINST CERTAIN TRUMP ACTIONS

Fox News Digital reached out to Ferguson, but he told the Washington Standard the state has been working "for many months … to prepare for this."

Ferguson’s team reportedly read the Heritage Foundation’s entire 900-page Project 2025 publication and prepared successor Attorney General-elect Nick Brown to continue his work.

"Obviously, Trump’s [first] administration turned out to be a train wreck for our country and his efforts to trample on the rights of Americans and Washingtonians on our environment, reproductive freedom; the list goes on," Ferguson told Democracy Docket in October.

Brown told Fox News Digital he pledged to "enforce and defend our laws, stand up for our values and protect our communities: And I intend to fully honor that commitment."

"I have no interest in needlessly creating or seeking out conflict with the incoming Trump administration," Brown said.

"But if they take actions that violate our laws or harm our people, I am ready and willing to use all available legal options to protect the residents of Washington State from such unwanted intrusions."

NEWSOM TO ‘TRUMP-PROOF' CALIFORNIA

Ferguson said a lot of Trump’s actions may be legal and "no one will be more happy than me" if Olympia never goes to court again.

In New Jersey, then-Attorney General Gurbir Grewal participated in dozens of suits against the first Trump administration, and Gov. Phil Murphy said while he hopes to find common ground with Trump, he will "fight to the death" to defend Jersey values.

Current New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin told Fox News Digital the election was fair and that Trenton will respect the democratic process that put Trump in the White House.

"As the president, he has the right to implement the policy agenda that he sees fit for the country. What he does not have the right to do is to violate the laws of this nation [or] this state…" Platkin said, citing a focus on gun safety, health care, the environment and immigration issues.

"I do not wake up every day dying to sue the president of the United States, but I also will not hesitate to do so when it’s in the best interests of our residents."

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been preparing for another Trump administration as his office also reportedly observes the behavior of Trump’s circle.

"President Trump has made no secret of his agenda for his second term. We’re taking him at his word when he tells us what he plans to do: whether that be rolling back environmental protections, threatening immigrant and civil rights, or restricting access to essential reproductive care," Bonta said.

"Fortunately, and unfortunately, we have four years of ‘Trump-1.0’ under our belts. We know what to expect, and we won’t be caught flat-footed: What happens next is up to the president-elect. If he doesn’t violate the law, and we hope he won’t, we won’t need to take action.

"But based on our experience with the first Trump administration and the president-elect’s own words, we expect that won’t be the case…"

In Delaware, Attorney General Kathy Jennings made opposing Trump key to her 2018 campaign.

"Donald Trump threatens our civil rights. He undermines the rule of law," Jennings said in an ad. "As attorney general, I'll stand up to Donald Trump when his agenda hurts Delaware."

Fox News Digital reached out to Jennings, who previously challenged Trump’s child migrant detention system.

Wisconsin was party to several lawsuits in Trump’s first term, and Attorney General Josh Kaul signaled he's "prepared to defend the rights of Wisconsinites if necessary." 

"Let me say if the new administration infringes upon the freedoms of Wisconsinites or attempts to use our system of justice as a tool for vengeance, we will act," he said recently.

In Connecticut, Attorney General William Tong is coordinating with other attorneys general.

"I’m sad to say we are here again. But we went through this the first time with the Muslim ban and the border wall, and we are even more ready now," he said, according to WSHU.

"[W]hen they attack the American-born children of immigrants, and they talk about denying birthright citizenship, they are talking about me," said Tong.

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Then-Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin succeeded in blocking Trump’s "travel ban," crediting the Aloha State as the first to launch litigation. Fox News Digital reached out to successor Anne Lopez regarding her stance toward Trump.

Fox also sought comment from the most high-profile of attorney-general-litigants. New York's Letitia James pledged to be a "real pain in the a--" and led a $450 million fraud case against Trump.

She did not respond, but recently said she’s ready to "fight back again."

The Trump transition team did not respond to a request for comment, but the president-elect did recently say of James, "she’s got serious Trump Derangement Syndrome."

Washington governor-elect announces subcommittee to combat Project 2025

25 November 2024 at 22:09

Washington governor-elect Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, announced Monday that he is creating a subcommittee in his transition team that will have the sole purpose of fighting Project 2025.

The transition team expects Project 2025 to be pushed by the Trump Administration despite President-elect Trump's efforts during his campaign to distance himself from the controversial proposal.

Ferguson's committee will be co-chaired by Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates CEO Jennifer Allen and King County Councilmember Jorge L. Barón, who is also a former executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Fox 13 reported.

"We are preparing in case President Trump attacks Washingtonians' core freedoms," Ferguson said, according to the outlet. "We will keep Washington moving forward no matter what happens at the federal level."

WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRAT PUSHES TO GIVE HOMELESS SPECIAL CIVIL RIGHTS

Project 2025 is a controversial initiative organized by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation that was authored by a number of conservatives, including some former Trump administration officials.

The initiative offered right-wing policy recommendations for Trump's second term, including replacing civil service employees with Trump loyalists, abolishing the Department of Education, criminalizing pornography, eliminating DEI programs, cutting funding for Medicaid and Medicare, rejecting abortion as health care, carrying out mass deportations and infusing the government with Christian values.

During his campaign, Trump had sought to distance himself from the initiative, which has been criticized as being an authoritarian and Christian nationalist plan that would undermine civil liberties, saying he knew nothing about it, that parts of it are "absolutely ridiculous and abysmal" and that its backers are on the "radical right."

PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP APPOINTS THREE KEY POSITIONS IN WHITE HOUSE OFFICES

Former Trump officials also told POLITICO ahead of Election Day that people involved in Project 2025 would be blacklisted from his administration.

But Trump has selected authors and contributors for Project 2025 to serve in his next administration, including Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget, Tom Homan as "border czar," Stephen Miller as deputy chief of policy and Brendan Carr as chair of the Federal Communications Commission.

"This is a critical time in our nation as we look to the possibility of our communities being under attack from many different directions," Allen said, according to Fox 13. "I'm honored to serve on Governor-elect Ferguson’s transition team and to co-chair this subcommittee to support his leadership in our state and country in championing and safeguarding reproductive rights and all of the rights of Washingtonians."

Barón said he is "honored to assist Governor-elect Ferguson in his transition into this new role and to co-chair this important subcommittee," Fox 13 reported.

"As an immigrant and as the proud parent of a trans daughter, I am particularly grateful that the Governor-elect is committed to protecting all Washington state residents, and especially those communities at greatest risk of having their rights attacked by the incoming federal administration," Barón continued.

Ferguson's office said the subcommittee will establish policy priorities for his first 100 days in office, according to Fox 13, although specific policy proposals have not been released.

Washington school board begs state to keep trans athletes out of girls' sports after girls were affected

19 November 2024 at 17:42

A public school board in Washington state passed a resolution on Tuesday urging its athletic conference to reconsider its current policies that allow trans athletes to compete in girls' sports.

The Central Valley School Board, which oversees schools in Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake, Washington, voted to send a message to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) over the issues after much debate at a school board meeting.

The resolution, titled "Supporting Equity and Safety in Female Sports," claims that the entire board is comprised of female members who have either competed in athletics themselves or have daughters who competed in athletics.

One of those women, an unidentified current cross country runner, shared her experience of having to compete against one of those athletes during the hearing.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"When I ran cross country for Greenacres Middle School, a boy who was biologically male but identified as female competed on the girls' team," she said. "While I respect everyone's right to participate in sports, the situation made me question the fairness of competing of someone who had the physical advantage associated with male biology."

Still, some speakers expressed opposition to the bill.

One speaker, a parent named Dr. Pam Kohlmeier, shared her experience of losing a child to suicide amid opposition to trans inclusion. 

"It was two years ago to the date when i addressed this board, but than it was an anti-trans policy about bathrooms, and I shared at that time don't know how many of you were here at that time. My Katie died by suicide that fall. This is a real issue. It is hurting real people every single time it is debated," Kohlmeier said.

But ultimately, the board ruled in favor of the resolution. 

The board passed its resolution and by doing so sent an official letter to the WIAA and Washington state legislators.

"Students born male, including transgender girls or non-binary boys, have a biological advantage over students born female. Therefore, unless a sport category is deemed co-ed, those born male should continue to be welcome to enjoy fair play within male sport categories," the resolution reads. 

"As our legislators, we respectfully urge you to address current inequalities and safety concerns effecting girls’ and women’s sports before further injury or loss of opportunities occur."

Washington, as a long-time deep-blue Democrat stronghold, has state laws in place to protect trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports. 

The WIAA policy states that each athlete will participate in programs "consistent with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed," and there are not even any medical or legal requirements. Bills that would prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls' and women's sports have been introduced but not passed.

Washington's west coast relatives, Oregon and California, as well as Nevada, all have similar laws. 

MOUNTAIN WEST CLOSES INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS AGAINST SAN JOSE STATE TRANS PLAYER WITHOUT DISCIPLINE

In the U.S., 23 states have laws in place to restrict or prevent transgender inclusion in girls' and women's sports. However, federal interference by the Biden-Harris administration and multiple federal judges who were appointed by Obama have allowed it to happen anyway. 

In April, the Biden-Harris administration issued a sweeping rule that clarified that Title IX’s ban on "sex" discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and "pregnancy or related conditions."

And while the administration insisted the regulation does not address athletic eligibility, multiple experts presented evidence to Fox News Digital in June that it would ultimately put more biological men in women's sports. 

Democrats have tried to push forward the Equality Act, which was proposed in 2019 and has had revisions that "would force public schools to allow biologically male athletes who identify as transgender on girls sports teams." In March 2023, Democrats advocated for a transgender bill of rights, proposing a resolution "recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights."

Multiple U.S. states have their own laws to restrict or prevent transgender inclusion in women's sports. However, even some of the states with those laws have had incidents where transgender inclusion in girls' sports was enabled via the ruling of a federal judge.

Judges Landya McCafferty in New Hampshire and M. Hannah Lauck of Virginia, both of whom were appointed during the Obama administration, each issued rulings this year that enabled biological males to play on high school girls soccer and tennis teams. McCafferty issued an order that allowed two transgender athletes to compete in New Hampshire, while Lauck ruled that an 11-year-old transgender tennis player was allowed to compete against girls the same age in Virginia. 

However, it's an issue that has recently divided the Democratic Party amid the recent red wave election results. Many in the party who have signed the bills that would allow trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports at a federal level have backpedaled in their stance and even denounced the idea in recent months. These include Texas Rep. Colin Allred and Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton. 

And now, citizens in West Coast blue strongholds like Washington and California are standing up to it. 

Over the weekend, Stone Ridge Christian High School, located in Merced, California, forfeited its state playoff match because its opponent "has a male athlete playing for their team," the school said. 

Now the Central Valley School Board has continued that trend. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Washington state Democrat pushes to give homeless special civil rights

19 November 2024 at 08:10

A Democratic state representative in Washington state is pushing legislation that aims to make homelessness a civil right, according to a report.

State Rep. Mia Gregerson is promoting a bill that would make homeless people a protected class and shield them from "discrimination based on housing status," according to a draft of the bill obtained by "The Jason Rantz Show" on KTTH. The obtained draft is dated Oct. 10, 2024.

"[M]any communities within Washington are enacting and enforcing laws that disproportionately impact homelessness or make living in public a crime," the document reads. "These laws are potentially unconstitutional, make it harder for people to exit homelessness, do not solve the underlying problem of homelessness, and waste precious public funds."

The bill comes in response to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, according to the report, in which the nation’s high court held that the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment does not prevent a city from enforcing public-camping ordinances against the homeless.

SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTS LOOK TOWARDS FUTURE AFTER FIRING DEM MAYOR IN EFFORT TO CLEAN UP HOMELESSNESS, DRUGS

Gregerson told Fox News Digital in a statement on Wednesday that the reported draft was a "starting point" based on legislation that failed to pass in 2019.

"To clarify, the language in the Jason Rantz article is not a bill but a starting point from earlier this year," the lawmaker said in the statement. "What I will propose will be significantly different from the 2019 bill because we are working on a different set of issues. There has always been a plan to share this broadly including all of the cities. Drafts such as this one are a continuation of meaningful work we have done in the past."

The drafted legislation reported on says it would grant the homeless "the right to survive in a nonobstructive manner" on public property, including plazas, courtyards, parking lots, sidewalks, public transportation facilities and services and room or areas within public buildings that are open to the public and during normal operating hours.

It further states the homeless would be allowed to live on public property when "that person has no reasonable alternative but to survive in public space and existing shelter facilities within the local government’s jurisdiction are inadequate in number or are functionally inaccessible."

HOMELESS IN VERMONT CITY SEND CHILLING WARNING ABOUT WHAT HOUSING/DRUG CRISIS WILL DO TO CITY: ‘LIKE SAN FRAN’

Kevin Schilling, the mayor of Burien, a suburban city in Gregerson’s district, told "The Jason Rantz Show" that he was "disappointed" that the representative did not consult the City Council or city before drafting the legislation.

"My hope is the legislature this year works to offer support to cities by expanding substance use disorder programs, emergency shelter capacity, and law enforcement assistance so that each element of this issue can be tackled accordingly," he said.

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