Adults leave girls to defend fair sports themselves

Family Brief stands with two Skyview High School runners who walked off a girls' cross-country course rather than race a biological boy¹. At a Sept. 15 meet at Camas High School, junior captain Charlie Garrett and sophomore Sierra Retzlaff took about five steps' worth of course after the gun, then quit the race, Garrett told Clark County Today².

Garrett said she stepped off because she saw the girls' places being taken from them². Every place a boy takes in a girls' race is a place a daughter does not get. ICONS posted: “Adults betray girls and the girls are left to stand up for themselves. A travesty, @wiaawa!!!” A travesty, @wiaawa!!!”!"

1. Sept. 15Garrett and Retzlaff walked off the course at the Camas meet
2. Nov. 3Washington voters decide Initiative 638

According to Garrett, the Camas athlete started the season on the boys' team and asked to be entered in girls' races a week later. Before the start, the two girls wrote "Keep Women in Women Sports" on their arms and legs. Retzlaff based her objection on biological reality: "A biological boy is biologically different than a female and that is an unfair advantage." She also said the protest came from conviction, not malice: "It’s not a hate thing. I’m standing up for what I believe in and for women’s rights¹." Retzlaff said she would treat the Camas runner with respect and kindness. Garrett told her teammates, "I was just not comfortable racing against a biological male." Garrett said the protest caused some tension on the team at first, and that the girls have worked through it².

Retzlaff said the Camas runner finished seventh in the girls' race that day. She estimated the same time would have placed around 60th in the boys' race².

The two Skyview girls expect to face the Camas runner again at the district meet later in October. They said they do not plan another protest there. Garrett said she will race as hard as she can and try to place as high as she can. On Nov. 3, Washington voters decide Initiative 638. The measure would keep biological boys out of school athletic activities intended only for females, and it would require health-care providers to verify each student's biological sex. Commentator Brandi Kruse called the girls' walk-off "bravery" and told voters to "Vote YES on I-638 to stand with them³." Retzlaff has made her choice: "I would vote yes about separating the races based on your biological gender²."

Sources

1. Skyview girls protest competing against a biological male ahead of Washington ballot measure – Hyperlocal Loop
2. Skyview girls share the reason for their decision not to compete against biological male
3. Brandi Kruse on X: "BREAKING: Nearly half of the girls cross-country team in Camas, Washington, just forfeited their race. They refused to compete against a boy. This is bravery. Vote YES on I-638 to stand with them. Video: @KnownHeretic" / X