Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has thrown her support behind the Seattle School Board’s unanimous vote to pursue possible legal action against Initiative 638, a voter approved measure requiring separation of boys and girls in K-12 sports across Washington state.

Voters approved the initiative by a margin of 13 points last week. It carried 36 of Washington’s 39 counties, giving the measure broad support far beyond any single region.

The Seattle School Board deliberated behind closed doors Monday before voting publicly to authorize potential legal action. The board did not hear public testimony before taking that vote.

Wilson endorsed the move Tuesday in a 148 word statement that never once used the word “girls.” Instead, the mayor framed the board’s decision around concerns about transgender students and school inclusion.

“Last night, the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors voted to authorize legal action regarding Initiative 638. The Board's decision reflects concerns shared by educators, families, community leaders, and the City of Seattle about the measure's impact on student privacy, safety, dignity, and equitable access to educational opportunities.”

Wilson continued by defending the policies Washington schools and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association have used for nearly two decades.

“For nearly two decades, Washington schools and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association have relied on policies designed to ensure all students can participate fully in school life. As those longstanding protections face new challenges, we affirm the rights of transgender youth and stand with them and their families.”

The mayor concluded with another broad promise about inclusion, welcoming people and helping students fulfill their potential.

“As mayor, I remain committed to building a Seattle where every person is welcomed, supported, and valued, and where all young people can thrive as their authentic selves. I support the Board's decision and its commitment to creating inclusive learning environments where every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

I support the Seattle Public Schools Board's decision to challenge Initiative 638, because every young person in Seattle deserves to thrive as their authentic self. https://t.co/QBQbNRsBnR

— Mayor Katie Wilson (@MayorofSeattle) November 10, 2026

The contrast is hard to miss. Seattle was one of the centers of the “No Kings” movement, where tens of thousands rallied against a president they accused of ignoring the will of the people, yet Wilson is backing action against a measure Washington voters clearly approved.

The statement also ignored the female athletes who have protested competing against biological males. About a dozen girls cross country runners from Camas walked off a starting line over a male teammate competing as a female, while Battle Ground High runner Elise Bierer cried after sacrificing a race for the same cause.

Tumwater High student Frances Staudt has also faced hostility from classmates after refusing to compete against a boy in a basketball game. She attended a political watch party in Redmond last week with women’s sports advocate Amy Sousa, where both celebrated Initiative 638 passing.

Sousa confronted the Seattle School Board on Monday and reminded members that the vast majority of Washington counties voted for the initiative. She shouted, “King County doesn't get a veto!”

“Those girls (like Staudt) have fought so, so hard,” Sousa said. “They should not have to be activists at that age. And they should not be thrown into a political issue that adults put on their doorstep. Adults did this to them, and adults need to stop it.”

WATCH:

The broader legal challenge is already taking shape. On Monday, a group of parents and education organizations represented by attorneys from the ACLU of Washington, Legal Voice and Pacifica Law Group filed a lawsuit seeking to block Initiative 638 before it takes effect Dec. 3.

The plaintiffs contend that the measure’s sex verification requirements violate Washington constitutional protections for privacy and equal rights. They are requesting an emergency injunction that would stop the initiative from taking effect while the court case proceeds.

That lawsuit is separate from the Seattle School Board’s authorization of its own potential legal action. District officials have not specified what form the board’s action might take.

Wilson, however, has made her position plain. Her vision of inclusion embraces the board’s legal push, but it leaves the voters in 36 counties, the people denied public testimony and the girls directly affected by the policy on the outside looking in.

Here’s mayor Katie Wilson at a “no kings” protest to “stand up for democracy and civil rights”

She’s now trying to OVERTURN a citizen state-wide vote to keep boys out of girls sportsWhat happened to “democracy” @MayorofSeattle?!What about the rights of girls to participate in sports without getting beaten up by a boy or having their title stolen??— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 11, 2026

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