A biological male competing on the Camas High School girls’ cross-country team finished seventh at the 4A regional meet Saturday at Chambers Bay in University Place, knocking Puyallup High School out of the state tournament by one spot. Puyallup finished eighth; the top seven teams advance.
When the runner’s name was called for the podium, he wasn’t there. “That’s a man!” shouted Joel Retzlaff, father of Skyview High runner Sierra Retzlaff, who has publicly opposed letting the athlete compete against girls. Camas coach Matt LeGrand declined to explain the runner’s absence.
The runner switched from the boys’ team to the girls’ team midseason. On the boys’ side, he placed 76th in the year’s opening JV meet. Since moving to the girls’ team, he has won a varsity meet and finished second three times. At both districts last week and regionals Saturday, he placed just ahead of Skyview runner Charlie Garrett.
“I mean, it’s really frustrating. I was sad after my race because I was less than a second away [from beating the Camas runner],” Garrett said. “But I PR’d, and I qualified for state, so I shouldn’t be sad.”
Asked about the runner skipping the podium, Garrett said: “It shows why he shouldn’t be in it. He has a reason not to show up.”
Olympian: “Girls’ Voices Don’t Matter” to Officials
Carol Brown, a three-time Olympian and bronze medalist in rowing who fought for Title IX decades ago, attended the meet and said she never expected to be fighting the same battle for girls’ sports again.
“I fought for Title IX to be allowed to be in sports period, and so I’ve been fighting this battle. I never thought 50 years later I’d be fighting it again. And I absolutely believe in rights for everyone to participate in sport, but for it to be fair and safe, it has to be based on sex.”
On the Puyallup runner displaced from state, Brown said: “It’s absolutely unfair. The girls put in work, and what I find the hardest to accept is that everyone is saying the girls’ voices don’t matter, their emotions don’t matter, their hard work and once again, like 100 years ago took a second seat to the males.”
A Reluctant Fight, With Some Afraid to Give Their Names
Jasmin Faulk, executive director of the Women’s Liberation Front (WOLF), traveled to the meet to speak out. She previously lost her job at a community college over a blog post arguing that “biology still matters.”
“The issue is really about the safety and the fairness for women and girls. That’s why we’re here, that’s why WOLF has chosen to participate and be vocal on this. We have fought for women’s rights on all levels and in all areas and sports is just another one that is fairly agreed upon as a general view. This one’s an easy one for us to stand by.”
Faulk argued Democratic leaders have gone quiet on an issue most voters agree on, regardless of party. “It’s unfortunate, though, because the Democrats are not voicing that. I think that’s where the frustration is. It’s a lot easier for the right to take a stand on this one because they’ve kind of been consistent on this issue for a long time, but the Democrats, I think, have been quieted into it, and the fearmongering in the movement has been the hardest for a lot of people.”
Not everyone was willing to be identified. One male runner wearing XX-XY Athletics gear told organizers at the meet, “I like your shirts,” but would not accept a “save girls’ sports” bracelet or comment further. A female runner posed for a photo with the group and said, “You can believe you are something, but you’re affecting other people who are actually that and have worked really, really hard for this, and you’re taking away a spot from a girl who trained all season.” She asked twice afterward that her name and school not be used.
Dawn Land held a sign reading “Girls deserve fair sports!” at the meet. “I think that this boy that is running in the girls’ race is grossly unfair,” Land said. “And I’m disgusted at the adults that allowed this to happen.”
Washington Voters Decide Tuesday
Washington voters will decide the issue directly on Tuesday’s ballot. Initiative 638 would bar biological males from competing in girls’ K-12 sports statewide.
Brown urged a yes vote: “Vote yes if you believe in fair and safe sports for girls.”
