Gender Diverse Youth Sport Inclusivity Toolkit
A resource guide for inclusive transgender and nonbinary youth sport best practices.
Read OnGender Diverse Youth Sport Inclusivity Toolkit
In partnership with Aidan Key, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) was the first state activities association in the U.S. to enact successful policy and practices regarding the equitable inclusion of K-12 transgender students in sports and other activities. WIAA’s groundbreaking policy and its subsequent inclusion in the official WIAA handbook in 2007, continues to serve as a successful model for the rest of the nation.
Building on over a decade of successful implementation and ongoing learning, in 2019 Aidan engaged the WIAA to reassess and improve its Gender Identity Participation philosophy and eligibility rules.
In early 2020, the Seattle Sounders FC stepped in with Gender Diversity to further their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion as it relates to gender within the workplace, with respect to their fan base, and in relation to their many youth programs. Recognizing the passion, experience, and commitment of both the WIAA and the Sounders, Aidan proposed the idea of a co-created toolkit.
The shared goal for this toolkit is two-fold:
- To create a student athlete resource from which others can benefit from our time and experience, and
- To share the collective success that continues to place Washington State as the ground-breaking leader in the creation and implementation of model policy and practices.
This toolkit will:
- Help administrators, coaches and parents understand the history of inclusive sport practices and current national dialogue regarding trans and nonbinary youth in athletics
- Provide up-to-date terminology and definitions
- Explain and provide access to local policies and federal law
- Give communication tips and strategies to optimize gender inclusion
- Answer frequently asked questions
- Connect to other resources and helpful contacts
