‘Invasive and extreme’: doctors fight anti-trans measure requiring genital exams for student athletes
A Washington referendum has drawn broad opposition from adults who work with queer and trans teens For Kelsey Gellner, a Seattle-based pediatric nurse, a statewide proposal to bar trans girls from sports participation feels like a violation of her duty as a medical professional. The ballot initiative includes a requirement she calls “invasive and extreme”: all students who wish to compete on…
A Washington state proposal has sparked widespread opposition from adults who work with LGBTQ+ teens, particularly pediatric nurses and healthcare providers. The ballot initiative, which would bar trans girls from participating in girls' sports, includes a requirement for genital exams that the nurses argue is "invasive and extreme" and goes against their duty to keep patients safe.
The measure, introduced by a political action committee founded by a multimillionaire, is considered the most restrictive of four statewide measures targeting transgender youths' participation in sports. Despite the small number of transgender athletes in the state, the policy is seen as a significant barrier to their participation.
Healthcare providers, teachers, and counselors have rallied against the initiative, emphasizing the invasiveness of the required exams and the lack of evidence supporting the need for such procedures. The No Hate campaign, which opposes the measure, has gained widespread support from Democratic politicians and organizations like Planned Parenthood.
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