Left-leaning Washington and Colorado ban transgender athletes

Associated Press · Will Graves · 2026-11-06 02:04 UTC

Voters in Washington and Colorado have approved measures to ban transgender athletes from participating in school sports. Washington's Measure 638 prevents students assigned male at birth from playing in female sports. It also requires a healthcare provider's statement to verify gender. Colorado's Proposition 134 mandates sports be designated male, female or coed, limiting participation to the sex assigned at birth. These measures were passed in states where Democratic-led governments had not enacted such bans, leading activists to put the issue on the ballot instead. The votes highlight bipartisan support for these issues, which were once seen as conservative wedge topics.

Left-leaning Washington and Colorado join more conservative states in banning transgender athletes

Voters in left-leaning Washington state and Colorado have approved measures designed to ban transgender athletes from participating in school-sanctioned sports.

Measure 638 in Washington, which had more than 56% of the vote, will prevent students who were assigned male at birth from participating in sports designated for female athletes. The measure also requires athletes wanting to play in female sports to produce a statement from a health care provider verifying their gender.

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