Claim: Washington voters approved Initiative 638, requiring school sports athletes to go through a physical exam documenting sex assigned at birth.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
The participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports has become one of the most controversial and widely debated issues in American sports and politics. In the latest development in that debate, Komo News reported on Thursday that Washington voters have approved Initiative 638, sponsored by the political committee Let’s Go Washington.
The initiative prohibits transgender girls and other students assigned male at birth from competing in school sports designated for female students. It also requires healthcare-provider verification of students’ biological sex. The verification can be based on at least one of three criteria: reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or naturally produced testosterone levels.
It’s also worth noting that Washington voters refers to people registered to vote in the U.S. state of Washington, not people from Washington, D.C.
That said, did the I-638 initiative really receive approval from Washington voters? Here’s what we found!
Our verdict: True
Washington voters approved Initiative 638 in the November 3, 2026, election, with 56.5% (1,605,238) voting in favor of the measure, according to The Associated Press. Supporters argued that the restrictions were necessary to protect fairness and competitive opportunities for female athletes. They maintained that biological differences could create an uneven playing field in women’s sports.
However, opponents, including Governor Bob Ferguson, Senator Patty Murray, the Washington State PTA and the League of Women Voters, raised concerns about discrimination against transgender students. They also questioned the medical verification process, arguing that it could subject all girls seeking to participate in school sports to unnecessary or intrusive testing.
The result was particularly noteworthy because Washington is traditionally a Democratic-leaning state, where lawmakers had resisted introducing similar restrictions. Furthermore, restrictions on transgender youth participating in sports have now been introduced in more than 25 states across the country, largely through legislation backed by Republican lawmakers.
In Colorado, Proposition 134 also secured voter approval, with approximately 52% supporting the measure, which bars transgender athletes from competing in school-sanctioned sports. Similar proposals gained public support in Arizona and Nebraska, where voters approved Proposition 318 and Initiative Measure 442, respectively.
These decisions come less than two years after President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled ‘Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports.’ The order granted federal agencies broad authority to ensure that organizations receiving federal funding comply with Title IX in accordance with the Trump administration’s interpretation of the law, which defines sex based on an individual’s gender assigned at birth.
Our fact-checking sources:
- The White House, February 5, 2025. Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports
- Politico, November 4, 2026. Arizona, Nebraska voters approve transgender athlete bans
- Komo News, November 5, 2026. Initiative banning transgender student athletes from girls’ sports passes in Washington
- AP News, November 5, 2026. Washington Measure 638 results
- The Guardian, November 5, 2026. Washington state passes ballot measure banning trans girls from school sports
- AP News, November 6, 2026. Left-leaning Washington and Colorado join more conservative states in banning transgender athletes