Send Your Letter to the Editor
Letters to the Editor are still one of the most frequently read sections of newspapers. There are more than 90 news outlets in WA that still accept LTEs.
We’re here to help. Contact us for support.
Tips for a Good Letter to the Editor
Limit your letter to around 150 words. You can check the word limit on most newspaper’s websites and look for instructions on how to submit your letter to the editor. Find an LTE publisher near you here.
Explain your connection to this issue - either Initiative IL26-001: Harming Child Abuse Victims or Initiative IL26-638: Subjecting Girls To Invasive Genital Exams To Play Sports, or both. Are you a teacher or school counselor worried about I-001 forcing you to “out” LGBTQ+ students to abusive parents? Are you a health care professional or a parent concerned about how 638 could force invasive genital exams on girls of any age just to play sports at any level?
Include a fact or two.
Reference a recent news story.
Don’t say “trans athlete.” We’re talking about students and kids who just want to play sports with their friends. Keep the conversation focused on protecting students.
TEMPLATE FOR A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
HOOK: Your first sentence should be short and reference a recent news article or event.
Example: An initiative (IL26-638) could require forced invasive exams on our daughters who want to play school sports (The Seattle Times). This is unacceptable.
MAKE IT PERSONAL: What is YOUR connection or why do YOU oppose the initiative(s)?
Example: As a school counselor, I know how essential it is for students from unsupportive homes, especially LGBTQ+ kids, to have a safe place to express themselves and access confidential support at school. By removing common sense school record protections, IL26-001 will worsen the teen mental health crisis.
EVIDENCE: Use facts and data points.
Example: Multiple studies have shown that forcefully outing LGBTQ+ youth to unsupportive parents leads to high rates of family rejection, depression, abuse, and homelessness. According to The Trevor Project, 40% of LGBTQ+ homeless youth were kicked out of their homes because of their identities. If IL26-001, the Safety Act Repeal, passes, we can only imagine how many more LGBTQ+ kids could be harmed.
CALL TO ACTION: Tell readers to Vote NO on IL26-001 and IL26-638. Direct them to NoHateinWAState.org.
Example: We must protect every student from harm. Say NO to hate in Washington state by voting NO on IL26-001 and IL26-638 this November. Head to NoHateinWAState.org to learn more.
What IL26-001 Does:
IL26-001 removes common sense school record protections for victims of child abuse
This poorly written initiative could allow parents under criminal investigation or who have been charged with raping, assaulting, or otherwise harming their own child to access sensitive information that could put kids at greater risk.
Child abuse is more widespread than most realize: There were 117,629 reports of child abuse or neglect in Washington in 2024 alone.
IL26-001 will force schools to hand over sensitive information about kids to people being investigated for child abuse.
IL26-001 worsens the teen mental health crisis
Discourages students facing domestic violence, sexual abuse or bullying from seeking help from trusted school counselors, who would be required to release students’ confidential information.
Youth depression is at record highs. More than half of teenagers experience anxiety or depression, and one in ten Washington state students say they have no one to turn to when feeling depressed.
Washington school counselors, school nurses, and pediatricians say IL26-001 will worsen the teen mental health crisis.
IL26-001 forces teachers to knowingly put LGBTQ+ students at risk of harm or homelessness
We should not force teachers and school counselors to knowingly put kids in danger – but that’s what IL26–001 would do by requiring them to “out” LGBTQ+ kids to abusive families.
We all want to keep kids safe and most parents know their children will come to them for help. But some kids live in homes that aren’t safe, and some LGBTQ+ kids know they will be kicked out of their homes, beaten, or worse.
According to researchers, 40% of LGBTQ+ homeless youth were kicked out of their home because of their identities.
What about parents' rights?
Most parents are loving and supportive and parents have the right to know what’s going on with their kids at school. But sadly not all kids are safe at home. There were more than 100,000 reports of child abuse and neglect in 2024 alone.
This initiative makes it harder for students to ask for help with bullying, sexual abuse, or domestic violence because it removes privacy protections.
What IL26-638 Does:
IL26-638 could force invasive genital exams on girls of any age just to play sports at any level
We all want to protect girls, but IL26-638 changes the law to require medical sex certification as part of sports physicals for all girls, and bans parents from using birth certificates instead.
It could force tens of thousands of Washington girls each year to undergo invasive, embarrassing, and potentially harmful genital exams just to play sports.
Free student sports physicals often occur in group settings in gyms, so this invasive exam requirement could subject girls to greater embarrassment and harm. Right now students stay fully clothed during sports physicals, but this could change for girls.
IL26-638 is the most extreme MAGA measure of its kind in the country and discriminates against girls
This is the most extreme MAGA measure of its kind in the country because it targets girls with invasive genital exams
Boys are completely exempt from this requirement – only girls will be subjected to the medical sex certification and genital exams - putting another barrier between girls and sports.
All girls will be discouraged from playing sports under IL26-001 because they will be subjected to invasive, embarrassing genital exams. Girls will miss out on the health benefits of sports, as well as learning about teamwork and cooperation.
What about girls’ safety and right to fair competition?
We all want fairness and safety in sports but IL26-638 will institute a statewide blanket ban on all transgender girls in all sports, outlawing case by case decisions.
Just a few (5-10) trans girls play sports out of 1 million K-12 students. If we really cared about girls' sports, we’d remove barriers for all girls, not put up more barriers for girls like invasive genital exam requirements.