SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – Veronica Garcia, a senior from Spokane Valley, made history by winning her second consecutive state title this past weekend. Garcia’s victory in the 400-meter race came with a lead of 1.05 seconds.
Kasandra Forsman, Spokane Pride’s vice president of the board, spoke about the significance of Garcia’s achievement. Forsman stated, “If trans girls are dominating girls sports then why do we only hear about this young lady?”
Garcia’s win in 2024 stirred controversy across the state. School board members from various districts wrote to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), urging a change in state policy on transgender athletes competing in girls’ sports. The current policy allows students to compete in the category “consistent with their gender identity.”
The issue has sparked debates on social media, with many expressing that they feel the policy is unfair. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” This order prohibits people assigned male at birth from participating in women’s sports, stating it is “demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls.”
President Trump emphasized the importance of the order, saying, “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over.” He warned that schools allowing trans athletes in women’s sports risk losing federal funding.
Despite this, in April, the WIAA decided not to change its policy on transgender athletes, even though it conflicts with federal policy. The Washington State Civil Liberties Union supports the state’s decision, saying, “Attempts to restrict transgender students from participating in sports conflict with state law that has been in place for over a decade.”
According to the Seattle Times, hecklers at the race wore shirts with slogans like “LET’S GO GIRLS” and “SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS.” In response to the hecklers, Garcia remarked, “I’m just going to say it’s a damn shame they don’t have anything else better to do. I hope they get a life.”
While the debate over transgender athletes’ rights continues in Washington, opinions remain divided. Forsman noted, “She’s a girl that won that happens to be trans,” while others argue it is unfair.
For more information on Spokane Pride and WIAA policies, readers can find additional details through their official websites.
