Part of Outsports’ series on our 100 most important moments in gay sports history.
Various sports, 2008. While the rights of transgender athletes to play sports has been fought over in courts and board rooms for nearly four decades, it wasn't until April 2007 that any state high school sports association adopted any policy opening the door to participation by trans athletes. That policy, adopted by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, was a carbon copy of the IOC's policy. It stemmed from several requests the previous year for eligibility rulings on transgender athletes.
The Association quickly realized the policy wasn't sufficient for their needs, and in 2008 they created the policy that has become a model for similar organizations. The focus is inclusion, and it addresses the concerns of both transgender and intersex people. It also, for the first time, discussed both gender identity and gender expression.
Part of Outsports’ series on our 100 most important moments in gay sports history.
Various sports, 2008. While the rights of transgender athletes to play sports has been fought over in courts and board rooms for nearly four decades, it wasn't until April 2007 that any state high school sports association adopted any policy opening the door to participation by trans athletes. That policy, adopted by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, was a carbon copy of the IOC's policy. It stemmed from several requests the previous year for eligibility rulings on transgender athletes.
The Association quickly realized the policy wasn't sufficient for their needs, and in 2008 they created the policy that has become a model for similar organizations. The focus is inclusion, and it addresses the concerns of both transgender and intersex people. It also, for the first time, discussed both gender identity and gender expression.
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