League members looking to protect equitable access to sports for Washington girls and access for vulnerable students to trusted adults about sensitive questions will soon get support for how to best address these issues with the public.
The state League Board voted in January to sign on to the NO Hate in WA State campaign against the two initiatives which will be on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Karen Tvedt, who leads the Social and Economic Justice efforts of the state Lobby Team, told the LWVWA board of directors in late April that she and fellow Lobby Team colleagues are working on strategy based on League positions, joining with other like-minded activists, and preparing documents for members to use to defeat IL26-001 and IL26-638 and protect Washington children.
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IL26-001 seeks to reverse legislation passed by the Legislature in 2025 and would undo protections for vulnerable students. The initiative has been described as “much ado about nothing” as the parental rights it is purported to protect have already been firmly established in federal and state law for nearly 50 years.
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IL26-638seeks to subject ALL girls wishing to participate on sports teams to invasive medical exams to prove that they are biologically female. The initiative does not apply to boy athletes – just girls.
League leaders note it could result in thousands of girls seeking to play sports having to undergo invasive genital exams. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction estimates that only a handful of trans girls would be found ineligible to play girls sports if IL-638 were to pass. Girls of color and those living in poverty are likely to suffer the most harm.
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The state board voted to oppose both proposals in January, when the measures were introduced as initiatives to the Legislature. When the Legislature declined to take action on the bills by the close of the 2026 legislative session, the measures became initiatives to the public that voters will see on the November mid-term ballot.
The League’s opposition to both measures stems from its long-standing positions on equal access to fair and equitable education, equal treatment and privacy rights.
Because the state League opposes the initiatives, League members are free to provide information about the cons of these initiatives at tabling events, according to state President Karen Crowley.
More information about the campaign is available from No Hate in WA State, Vote No on IL26-001 & IL26-638.
“We’re looking to make ourselves available to do presentations to local Leagues about the campaign and help members better understand what the initiatives are and what they would do,” Tvedt said.
