Girls’ basketball player files complaint, is under investigation for refusing to play transgender opponent

A Washington state high school girls’ basketball player is being investigated for bullying and harassment because she called a male player on an opposing team a boy.

Tumwater School District (TSD) sophomore Frances Staudt, her family and the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights due to the recent incident. Tumwater is located near the state capital of Olympia.

While warming up for a junior varsity basketball game, Staudt noticed the opposing team had a male player, which the principal and athletic director reportedly confirmed. However, they rejected Staudt’s plea to prevent him from playing or to stop the game. Staudt then refused to play. 

From the bench, she reportedly spoke out against the male player. She now faces an investigation from her school for “misgendering” the male player, violating TSD’s bullying and harassment policies. 

“I made the decision to sit out, and I did not play one minute of that game because I have a right to my safety, and I should be allowed to play against girls,” Staudt told podcaster Brandi Kruse. 

The transgender athlete also spoke with Kruse, and said if he knew Staudt’s concerns in advance, he would have sat out of the game. 

“The last thing I want to do is make anybody uncomfortable,” he told Kruse. “I don’t want to take anything from anybody. I don’t want to make anybody feel uncomfortable. I just want to play a sports game and have fun because I do enjoy playing basketball.” 

The incident comes as fewer states allow transgender-identifying athletes to compete in women’s sports. 

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association announced earlier this week that it will no longer let males compete in girls’ high school sports. 

“Working in consultation with legal counsel, our Board updated this policy to ensure clarity is provided to our membership as they work to comply with new federal guidance from the White House,” WIAA executive director Stephanie Hauser said in a press release. 

The news makes Wisconsin the third state to announce it will restrict transgender athlete participation following an executive order from President Donald Trump promising to withhold federal education funding from states that allow males to compete in women’s sports. 

Pennsylvania and Virginia were the first states to change their policies in response to the Trump EO. The National Collegiate Athletic Association also followed suit. 

Twenty-nine states currently restrict transgender athlete participation, while Georgia will likely follow suit shortly, WSB-TV reports.