“Washington Referendum Would Require Genital Exams for Student Athletes, Sparking Outrage” — what this page in the network covers. A Washington state ballot initiative that would bar transgender girls from playing on girls' sports teams is drawing fierce opposition from medical professionals and youth advocates who say its enforcement mechanism is 'invasive and extreme': requiring genital exams for all students who wish to compete on girls' teams. Kelsey Gellner, a Seattle-based pediatric nurse and board member of the Washington State Nurses Association, said the proposal violates her duty to keep patients safe.
'Girls do not want to have an unnecessary exam that creates an unsafe barrier,' she said. The referendum has galvanized a broad coalition of adults who work with queer and trans teens, including doctors, nurses, and school counselors, who argue the measure would harm all students, not just transgender youth. This listing links straight to the original page, where the content is available in full.