2026 Campaign
Two ballot initiatives threaten Washington students with invasive genital exams, forced LGBTQ+ outings, and restricted access to help. We're building the coalition to stop them.
Know the Threat
In 2026, national anti-LGBTQ+ organizations have put two ballot initiatives before Washington voters. Both target young people. Both are designed to roll back protections that keep Washington students safe.
Initiative IL26-001
This initiative would repeal protections that keep students safe in schools by:
Initiative IL26-638
This initiative targets girls who play school sports by:
Our Campaign
No Hate in WA State is a broad coalition campaign to defeat IL26-001 and IL26-638 at the ballot box. The coalition is led by Gender Justice League, SEIU 775, ACLU of Washington, Washington Education Association, Pro-Choice Washington, GSBA, and UFCW 3000 — alongside dozens of additional partner organizations spanning civil rights, healthcare, faith, labor, education, and business communities.
Real conversations across Washington State that shift hearts and minds. Our trained canvassers engage community members on the human impact of these initiatives — what they actually do to real students and real families.
Uniting every corner of Washington civil society in opposition — from teachers and school counselors to parents, pediatricians, faith leaders, labor unions, and business owners who refuse to let discrimination define our state.
Most voters don't know what these initiatives actually do. When they learn that IL26-638 mandates genital exams for girls or that IL26-001 forces schools to out vulnerable students, they overwhelmingly say no.
Building the financial infrastructure to match and exceed opposition spending. Every dollar supports direct voter contact, community organizing, and campaign operations across all 39 counties.
What's at Stake
Students who need help won't get it. IL26-001 restricts when school counselors can support students in crisis. For LGBTQ+ youth — who already face higher rates of bullying, depression, and suicidality — cutting off access to trusted adults at school can be the difference between getting help and falling through the cracks.
Forced outing puts students in danger. Not every home is safe. Requiring schools to disclose a student's LGBTQ+ identity to parents — regardless of the home situation — puts vulnerable young people at risk of rejection, abuse, and homelessness.
Girls will be subjected to invasive exams. IL26-638 doesn't just ban transgender students from sports. It requires physical examinations to verify sex — meaning any girl whose body, appearance, or athletic ability is questioned could be forced to undergo genital inspection.
This is not about fairness in sports. It's about using children as political pawns. The proponents of these initiatives are national organizations that have targeted LGBTQ+ communities in state after state. Washington is their next target.
The damage goes beyond the specific provisions. These initiatives send a message to every LGBTQ+ young person in Washington: you are not welcome here. That message has consequences — in mental health, in school attendance, in whether families feel safe staying in their communities.
"When voters learn what these initiatives actually do — force genital exams on girls, out vulnerable students to potentially abusive parents — they overwhelmingly oppose them. Our job is to make sure every voter knows the truth before November."
Get Involved
Add your name and tell Washington: No Hate in Our State. Vote NO on IL26-001 and IL26-638.
Sign Now →Join our deep canvassing operation. We train every volunteer and provide everything you need — a script, a neighborhood list, a team.
Volunteer →Trans Advocacy Day at the Capitol, coalition meetings, canvassing kickoffs, and community forums happen across Washington State.
Find Events →The most powerful tool in this campaign is a conversation. When voters learn what these initiatives actually do, they vote no.
Take Action →The Coalition
No Hate in WA State is led by a coalition of organizations that represent workers, students, families, and communities across Washington:
Together with dozens of additional partner organizations across civil rights, healthcare, faith, education, labor, and business, we are building the broadest coalition Washington has seen.