Charlie Garret and Sierra Retzlaff, high school students from Washington, led a protest during a cross-country race on Tuesday. They refused to compete due to the inclusion of a male athlete who began the season on the boys’ team. Instead of running when the race started, Garret, Retzlaff, and about a dozen other girls walked a few meters before leaving the course. Meanwhile, the male athlete participated in the race.
Retzlaff expressed her concern on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” She stated, “He’s taking that spot. I don’t think that that’s right or fair.” Similarly, Garret agreed, saying, “I agree with Sierra, I don’t think it’s fair at all, and he’s taking away a spot from every single girl that lines up on that line.” Both Garret and Retzlaff appeared on the program together.
In addition to their walk-off protest, Garret and Retzlaff displayed their stance with body paint reading “keep women in women’s sports” on their arms and legs. The male runner had previously finished first in a girls’ varsity race on September 29, after placing 76th in a boys’ junior varsity race on September 5.
Garret and Retzlaff, both students at Skyview High, witnessed support from some members of the male runner’s team at Camas who also declined to participate. Garret remarked, “I think it’s amazing what they did, and I think it’s really brave and courageous of them, especially since they are running with this person. So, I really applaud those Camas girls, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Retzlaff’s parents joined the protest by bringing supportive signs. However, her father was removed from the event because the athletic director deemed the signs inappropriate. Despite this, Retzlaff appreciated her parents’ backing, saying, “Obviously it’s great not feeling like you’re the only one doing something and having the people that are always with me through everything really helped a lot.” Garret noted that their community largely supported their decision, though some teammates were initially surprised.
The Camas School District follows Washington Interscholastic Activities Association eligibility rules and state law. However, a potential policy change is on the horizon. On November 3, Washington voters will decide on Initiative 638. This initiative could prohibit biologically male students from participating in female-only interscholastic athletic competitions. It would require students to verify their biological sex through a healthcare provider.
Even if approved, Initiative 638 would not affect Garret, Retzlaff, and others involved in this protest in time. The state cross-country championships are slated for November 7, and the initiative would take effect 30 days post-election.