Oppose Initiatives IL26-638, 001
While costs are skyrocketing and our country is divided, a right-wing mega-millionaire from California wants to distract you from real problems by attacking vulnerable kids, especially LGBTQ+ kids. He is using out-of-state paid signature gatherers to promote poorly written initiatives that will threaten the safety of all Washington students, putting them at greater risk of abuse at home and at school.
Most parents are loving and supportive, but the sad reality is not all kids are safe at home. The safety of all Washington students, not just LGBTQ+ kids, would be put at greater risk by these dangerous initiatives.
Threatening Safety of All Students (IL26-001)
We all believe parents should be involved in their children’s lives at school, but this poorly written initiative (IL26-001) increases, the risk of abuse for all students, not only LGBTQ+ kids. While most parents are loving and supportive, the sad reality is not all kids are safe at home, and need to turn to a trusted teacher or counselor for help. This one-size-fits-all initiative would take away that lifeline at a time when youth mental illness is at record highs.
FORCED OUTING: Puts vulnerable kids at a greater risk of physical and emotional abuse at home, and even homelessness, by forcing teachers and school counselors to “out” LGBTQ+ students to unsupportive families.
RESTRICT ACCESS TO HELP: Makes it harder for young people to report depression or bullying, violence or sexual abuse. Washington youth are facing a mental health crisis and this is not the time to make it harder for young people to get help.
HIJACKING CLASSROOMS: Gives veto power to extremist parents, letting them interfere with classrooms by disrupting what teachers can teach and jeopardizing all Washington students’ freedom to learn. We can ensure parents are fully informed and involved in their kids’ education without allowing a few parents with a political agenda to dominate our schools, and exposing our schools to costly lawsuits.
Requiring Invasive Genital Exams On All Girls To Play Sports (IL26-638)
It’s true that some people have a difficult time understanding what it means to be transgender, and we all want fairness and safety in sports. But this poorly designed initiative ultimately puts all girls at greater risk by subjecting them to invasive genital exams just to play on a team. We should not impose a blanket ban that eliminates case-by-case solutions and distracts from affordability, housing, and other real problems facing Washingtonians.
INVASIVE GENITAL EXAMS FOR GIRLS: All girls as young as 11 will be forced into exams of their “reproductive organs” if they want to play sports. Boys are exempt. Forced physical exams not only invade girls’ privacy and increase chances of abuse, they discourage girls from the benefits of being on a team. These exams are no longer allowed by many sports associations, including the Olympics, because they are unnecessary, inaccurate, humiliating, and expose girls to abuse.
ROLL BACK SUCCESSFUL POLICY WITH BLANKET BAN: It’s understandable to feel unsure about how schools can best include all of their students. This is a complex issue that requires case-by-case solutions, as allowed by Washington's successful policy in place since 2007, not a blanket ban. Only 5-10 transgender students play sports in Washington, and we should allow local districts and leagues to keep setting policies that are fair for their students. We shouldn’t outlaw the possibility of making decisions case-by-case with a blanket ban.