Washington voters approve ban on transgender athletes in women's competitions
Washington voters approved a ban on transgender women athletes, a move conflicting with the state's political direction.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
With about 80 percent of votes counted by Friday, roughly 57 percent of voters supported the measure, while 43 percent opposed it, with opponents conceding defeat.
The approval of this conservative measure in a state that typically votes Democratic stands in stark contrast to the disappointing results for Republicans in the midterm elections held on November 3.
Among the measure’s opponents were doctors who said it “is not based on clinical guidelines and will cause unjustified pressure and harm to young girls.”
Under the measure, girls wishing to participate in sports must undergo a physical examination of their genitalia, or genetic and hormonal testing.
More than half of U.S. states have enacted laws in recent years restricting the participation of transgender students in sports activities.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld these state-level restrictions.
The measure in Washington state was considered one of the strictest among four similar measures approved in elections this week.
