State by State · No law protecting girls’ sports
Oregon has no law protecting girls' sports. The state athletic association lets males who identify as girls play on girls' teams, and federal investigations and a lawsuit by girl athletes are still open.
The law in Oregon
State policy allows males on girls' teams
The law in detail, with sources
The law
No state law limiting girls’ teams to females. OSAA Executive Board Policy 39, “Gender Identity Participation” (Winter 2019), says the OSAA “endeavors to allow students to participate for the athletic or activity program of their consistently asserted gender identity.” Once a student tells the school their gender identity, they “shall be consistently treated as that gender for purposes of eligibility,” and the OSAA will not hear appeals of school decisions (OSAA policy excerpt, 2022–23 handbook). The policy was written with the Oregon Department of Education, and the OSAA says it follows state anti-discrimination law (OSAA policy; KATU).
Who it covers
OSAA member high schools.
Notes
In March 2025 the U.S. Department of Education opened a Title IX investigation into Portland Public Schools and the OSAA after a male won a girls’ race at a track meet (KPTV, Mar 26, 2025). In July 2025 it opened an investigation into the Oregon Department of Education (ED press release). On July 7, 2025, three girl athletes sued ODE, Gov. Kotek, the OSAA and three districts in federal court in Portland under Title IX (OPB). We found no ruling in that case. After the June 30, 2026 Supreme Court decision, the OSAA said it was reviewing the ruling with counsel and ODE, and Oregon’s policy stayed in place (KATU). In 2024, Republican women legislators asked the OSAA to change the policy (letter, Apr 16, 2024).