School officials sued after male trans wrestler accused of sexually assaulting female opponent

By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, June 11, 2026

School officials in Washington state are being sued amid allegations that a trans-identified male wrestler sexually assaulted a female wrestler during a match.

A complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington on Wednesday alleges that the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association, the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Puyallup School District and two of its high school principals violated the constitutional rights of a 15-year-old girl by enacting a policy allowing trans-identified males to compete in girls' sports and failing to report the sexual assault of the plaintiff at the hands of a trans-identified male.

The incident took place on Dec. 6, 2025, when 15-year-old Kallie Keeler was competing in a wrestling match. Unbeknownst to her, she would end up competing against a trans-identified male. She did not know her opponent was a trans-identified male during the match, with the lawsuit insisting that "she would not have taken the mat" had she known.

"During the match, the male athlete sexually assaulted [Keeler], shoving his fingers through her spandex clothing, digitally penetrating her vagina, and holding the position for several seconds," the lawsuit stated. "Visibly distressed, [Keeler] shouted to her mother, who was videorecording the match, that the opponent's fingers are 'in my c***hie!'"

Keeler found out the opponent was male only after the match, which made her "feel violated all over again." While Keeler's mother informed her coaches of the incident, the complaint alleges they did not report it, taking action only after the presence of the trans-identified male in girls' wrestling became a national news story. The coaches' failure to report the sexual assault violated both state and district policies, the complaint alleges.

The conservative legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is representing Keeler in the litigation. The complaint maintains that a school district policy allowing trans-identified males to compete in girls' sports violates Keeler's rights under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which requires entities that receive federal funding to provide equal opportunities to women and girls in education, including in sports.

Additional violations alleged in the complaint include a violation of the right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the creation of a hostile environment at school for Keeler after news of the sexual assault spread, and a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

"A 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted because of political cowardice. Washington state officials insist on pushing gender ideology at all costs — even at the expense of girls' safety and privacy," said ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson in a statement announcing the lawsuit. "Our client's story is proof of the grave harms caused by lying about biology. This must end — otherwise, girls will continue getting hurt and violated."

Anderson urged the court to force officials "to change their policy to ensure that girls' privacy and safety are protected when they compete in the sports they love."

"No girl should have to unknowingly wrestle a boy," she continued. "[A]t a minimum, parents must be notified before their daughters are matched against male opponents."

"Tragically, because of district policy, a 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a male opponent on the wrestling mat," Anderson asserted. "Kallie's mom was in the gym with her daughter, but she could not protect her because the district's written policy prohibits notifying parents or anyone else when their daughters will be matched against male athletes. She and her mother promptly reported the assault to school officials, who sat on the information for nearly two months."

The complaint asks a federal judge to issue an order finding that the defendants violated Keeler's constitutional rights and require school officials to inform Keeler's mother when she is to compete against a trans-identified male athlete.

The lawsuit also seeks damages and attorney's fees, as well as amendments to Keeler's athletic record in light of her competition against the trans-identified male and her subsequent withdrawal from high school wrestling for the remainder of the season due to trauma from the sexual assault.

The sexual assault against Keeler comes amid a national debate about allowing trans-identified male athletes to compete in women's and girls' sports. The complaint cites the biological differences between males and females, specifically highlighting how "male puberty brings with it stronger bones, greater efficiency in blood oxygenation, taller height, broader wingspan, and increased lean body mass."

"These attributes translate to males' ability to jump higher, throw farther, run faster, and hit harder," the complaint noted. "On average, male athletes outperform female athletes of comparable talent and training in nearly every sport. Sex-designated categories for female athletes are necessary to provide fair competitive opportunities for girls and to avoid eliminating girls from competitive athletics."

Twenty-nine states have enacted laws or regulations banning trans-identified male athletes from competing in women's sports: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.