Proposition 318 is heading to the polls in November, and if passed, it would prohibit schools and athletic associations from allowing a student, athlete, employee or other individual to use a restroom, locker room, shower room or other private space that is not designated for their sex.
This measure defines an individual's sex as the "biological status as male or female as recorded at birth on the individual's original birth certificate," according to the ballot measure.
Over the past four years, Arizona has seen similar legislation. In 2022, the state legislature banned private and public schools from launching sports teams designated for females to any male students. In 2023, the Arizona Accommodations for All Children Act would have restricted transgender students from the use of public school restrooms; Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed the act.
Proposition 318 would expand the prohibition to all schools and athletic associations in the public and private sector, including K-12, college and adult sports organizations and teams, like ASU Sports Clubs and intramurals.
The leading campaign supporting the proposition is Protect Girls' Sports in Arizona alongside organizations such as Arizona Women of Action, Center for Arizona Policy and Liberty Counsel Action.
A bevy of candidates and officeholders have endorsed it as well, including gubernatorial candidate Rep. Andy Biggs, attorney general candidate Senate President Warren Petersen and superintendent of public instruction Thomas C. Horne.
For the opposition, NO on 318 is the leading campaign against the measure with endorsements from Sen. Denise "Mitzi" Epstein and congressional candidate JoAnna Mendoza. Over 15 organizations have publicly opposed the measure, including League of Women Voters of Arizona, Equality Arizona Action and Children's Action Alliance.
Luciano Leigh is a junior studying social work and the director of advocacy at TransFam at ASU. Leigh said the proposition "feels like a very huge way to alienate people."
"Pushing 318 as something that is good or that is beneficial to girls ignores how many people it would actually Hurt," Leigh said.
They said the proposition will also affect cisgender girls who play on boy's baseball teams instead of softball because their high school does not have a team. Under Proposition 318, this would no longer be allowed.
Marcus Tan is the secretary for the Phoenix Storm Rugby Football Club, which is an all-inclusive adult rugby team. Tan said this proposition goes against what the club stands for when it comes to inclusivity.
"I feel like it's just people trying to push their agenda when it doesn't affect them at all," Tan said.
Kim Miller is the president of Arizona Women of Action and has publicly endorsed the proposition. Miller said girls will lose opportunities when playing against a transgender woman because of genetic disadvantages.
"It's possible to hold two truths at the same time," Miller said. "That every child deserves kindness and the other one is that every girl deserves a fair shot at these opportunities that sports allow, and that her dignity, her female dignity, is what's on the line."
Miller said she hopes everyone can come together and "tone down the emotional anger" in the future.
"There's all kinds of reasons why the gender dysphoria thing has taken on such an explosion of that," Miller said.
Ryan Tolman is the club director at Aspire Volleyball and said there should still be opportunities for transgender children to have a space in sports.
"I strongly feel that boys should not be taking those opportunities away from girls," Tolman said.
Arizona voters will decide what the future of sports will look like on Nov. 3. To some, this is a proposition against an individual's rights and privacy; to others, it's a proposition preserving opportunities for women in sports.
Edited by Andi Ruiz, Alan Deutschendorf III, Grace Lawrence, Senna James and Sophia Keeling.
Reach the reporter at dkovalen@asu.edu.
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Ariana Hernandez is a part-time reporter at The State Press. This is her first semester with The State Press. She is in her sophomore year studying Journalism and Political Science.
