On Tuesday, more than a dozen female athletes at Camas High School in Washington took matters into their own hands when they were forced to compete against a high school boy at a cross country event against Battle Ground High.
At the sound of the starting gun, 13 of the 24 Camas runners walked just 50 meters off the line, before stepping off the course. One member of the opposing Battle Ground squad joined the boycott, refusing to run.
The revolt comes after junior Logan Mihailoff, a boy who identifies as a girl, switched midseason from competing in the boys’ division to the girls’ division, the Columbian reported. On September 5, Mihailoff placed 76th out of 301 runners in a boys’ junior varsity 5K at the Ultimook Race. But just weeks later, after transitioning to the girls’ division under state guidelines, Mihailoff began racking up top finishes. He placed second out of 195 runners at the Nike Portland XC Invitational, won a varsity event against Union High, and crossed the finish line second in Tuesday’s meet with a time of 19:28.
Sarah Burns, whose daughter Holly took part in Tuesday’s walkout, stood near the course clutching a sign that read “Keep Girls Sports Fair + Female.”
“I just think it’s unfair. A biological boy has bigger lung capacity, more muscles and longer legs so they can run faster. They’ll kick a girl who has worked really hard out of a spot she deserves,” Burns said, according to the Columbian.
“Women already had to fight to have their own team and race,” Burns added. “I just think it’s unfair.”
School administrators insist their hands are tied. Camas High Principal Travis Drake stated that the district is forced to follow current Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) rules, which allow students to compete based on how they identify. Camas Head Coach Matt LeGrand said the whole situation has been difficult for the athletes and coaches.
“I would say it’s been hard for the team. For young athletes it’s a very difficult situation for a wide variety of reasons. It’s been a struggle for the team and it’s hard on the coaches too. The coaches and administration are doing wonderfully despite everything they’re going through,” LeGrand said.
During a September 15 meet against Skyview, two opposing female runners walked off in protest, while one runner’s father was served a yearlong criminal trespass notice by the district after protesting with signs and chanting near the track.
A reporter from OutKick attended a Camas High School track event over the weekend, where the assistant cross country coach told him, “Nobody wants to talk to you. I’m trying to be nice.”
Washington residents will vote on November 3 on Initiative 638, which would mandate K-12 sports categories be defined strictly by biological sex.
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