A rally supporting Camas High School runners who left a cross-country meet rather than compete against a transgender teammate is planned for Wednesday, Oct. 21, in Camas, Washington. Organizer Amy Sousa said the event is intended to show the students that adults support them and will press for changes to eligibility rules.
The “Camas Courage” rally is scheduled for 2 p.m. at 2600 NW Lake Road, according to its event flyer. Sousa told OutKick that students should not have to take on the role of activists and said adults are stepping forward instead.
The planned gathering follows an Oct. 13 walk-off involving about a dozen Camas girls. The athlete they declined to race against had started the season competing in the boys’ division, according to the supplied report. Sousa attended the protest and filmed it.
Sousa said expected participants include Republican state Sen. John Braun, members of Women’s Declaration International USA and the Women’s Liberation Front, as well as parents and students. She said she plans to notify authorities and hold the rally before the meet begins to limit disruption to the competition. She also said she would welcome discussion with people who oppose her position.
The dispute centers on Washington’s rules for transgender athletes in school sports. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association has said its gender-identity participation policy follows state law and that the organization cannot adopt proposed restrictions that would conflict with that law. Sousa has criticized school officials for following the existing rules, while saying her criticism is aimed at the adults responsible for the policy rather than the student athlete.
The rally organizer also hopes to build support for Initiative 638, which Washington voters are scheduled to consider on Nov. 3. The measure would bar biologically male students from competing in certain female-only school sports and require a health care provider to verify biological sex, according to the report.
Supporters of the initiative argue that it would protect fair competition for girls. Opponents say it would exclude transgender girls and create additional medical and privacy burdens for female athletes. The supplied material describes these as competing positions and does not provide independent analysis of the measure’s likely effects.
The rally is planned amid a broader debate over eligibility rules, student participation and the responsibilities of school sports organizations. Sousa said the gathering is meant to demonstrate adult support for the runners and encourage policy changes. The report does not establish whether the rally has received any official response from the school or whether the proposed participants will attend.
