NewsWPLG Local 10 – Main FeedOctober 24, 2026Miami-Dade County
Voters in Colorado and Washington to Decide on Ballot Measures Banning Transgender Girls from Female School Sports
Photo: WPLG Local 10 – Main Feed
Activists in Colorado and Washington placed proposed ballot measures before voters to prohibit transgender women and girls from competing in female school and college sports. Proponents argue the bans protect competitive fairness and separate spaces for women, while opponents contend the measures discriminate against transgender youth and require intrusive medical verifications.
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10 – Main FeedWhy It Matters
Voters in two reliably Democratic states will decide whether to enact the first voter-approved bans on transgender athletes in female sports categories, a move that could establish a template for similar ballot efforts nationwide.
Key Facts
- Activists in Colorado and Washington placed proposed ballot measures to ban transgender women and girls from female sports before voters.
- This marks the first time proposed bans on transgender athletes are going directly to voters after being debated in various state legislatures.
- Twenty-seven states, all controlled by Republicans in the legislature and governor's office, already have laws restricting transgender athletes from female sports.
- A June Quinnipiac University poll indicated about 7 in 10 registered voters believe transgender women and girls should not play on female sports teams, while about one-quarter think they should.
- Arizona has a measure to broaden an existing sports ban to private schools, and Nebraska has a measure to add an existing state law to its state constitution.
- Let's Go Washington reported counting 16 transgender athletes in Washington school sports, while the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association oversees about 101,000 girls in sports.
- Hedge fund manager Brian Heywood is funding Let's Go Washington, which is supporting the sports ban as well as measures expanding parent access to school counseling records and repealing a tax on incomes over $1 million.
- Opposing groups in Colorado have raised nearly $4 million, which is more than 20 times what proponents raised in that state.
- Let's Go Washington has raised more than $7.8 million to campaign for its three measures, nearly twice the amount raised by opponents of the ban in Washington.
- The Washington measure requires a healthcare provider to verify a student's biological sex based on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or normal endogenously produced testosterone levels.
Who's Mentioned
OrganizationOne Colorado“Organization leading opposition to the Colorado measure.”OrganizationEastmont High School“School attended by Ahnaleigh Wilson.”OrganizationBallot Initiative Strategy Center“Organization that supports LGBTQ+ rights.”locationNebraska“State with a measure to add an existing state sports law to the state constituti”PersonBrian Heywood“Hedge fund manager funding Let's Go Washington.”PersonChris Melody Fields Figueredo“Executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center.”PersonMulvihill“Co-author reporting from Haddonfield, New Jersey.”PersonHallie Herzberg“Spokesperson for Let's Go Washington.”PersonNadine Bridges“Executive director of One Colorado.”locationKALAMA“Dateline for the AP news article.”locationColorado“State where a ballot measure on transgender sports is proposed.”locationArizona“State with a measure to broaden an existing sports ban to private schools.”PersonDave Flint“Husband of Tracy Flint.”PersonTracy Flint“Resident of Ridgefield, Washington.”locationHaddonfield“Location of co-author Mulvihill.”PersonAhnaleigh Wilson“Seventeen-year-old junior at Eastmont High School speaking out against allowing ”locationNew Jersey“State where co-author Mulvihill is located.”OrganizationWestern Washington University“Affiliation of political scientist Todd Donovan.”OrganizationLet's Go Washington“Group behind the Washington state ballot measure.”OrganizationQuinnipiac University“Conducted a June poll regarding transgender athletes.”OrganizationWashington Interscholastic Activities Association“Association overseeing high school sports in Washington.”PersonRobert Preuhs“Professor of political science at Metropolitan State University of Denver.”PersonTodd Donovan“Political scientist at Western Washington University.”PersonDonald Trump“President who has taken steps to roll back transgender rights.”locationWashington“State where a ballot measure on transgender sports is proposed.”OrganizationSupreme Court“Court that has upheld state sports bans.”PersonDr. Libby Loft“Physician opposing the Washington measure.”PersonImara Jones“Advocate running a website featuring stories of transgender people.”PersonRosemary Kacorozki“Resident of Renton, Washington.”OrganizationMetropolitan State University of Denver“University employing Robert Preuhs.”