17-year-old Veronica Garcia tells booing crowd to ‘get a life’ after dominating 400m race – finishing full SECOND ahead of biological females
A transgender athlete has sparked a firestorm of controversy after winning a second consecutive girls’ state championship in Washington – defiantly telling protesters to “get a life” as high school students staged demonstrations against the victory.
Veronica Garcia, 17, claimed the Class 2A 400-metre title at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma on Saturday, crossing the finish line in 55.70 seconds – a full second ahead of runner-up Lauren Matthew.
The East Valley High School senior was met with boos from the crowd and faced immediate backlash, with female students from Tumwater High School staging a protest during school hours holding a large banner reading: “This is not a walk out. We are not going anywhere.”
DEFIANT MESSAGE TO CRITICS
In a post-race interview with The Seattle Times, Garcia hit back at critics with a scathing message.
“I’m just going to say it’s a damn shame they don’t have anything else better to do. I hope they get a life. But oh well. It just shows who they are as people,” the 17-year-old said.
Garcia added: “I’ll be honest, I kind of expected it. But it maybe didn’t have their intended effect. It made me angry, but not angry as in, I wanted to give up, but angry as in, I’m going to push.”
THE CONTROVERSIAL VICTORY
The winning time of 55.70 seconds would have placed LAST in the boys’ preliminary rounds at the same meet, according to official results.
Garcia’s victory margin – more than a full second – was described by critics as evidence of an unfair biological advantage.
On the awards podium, competing athletes wore T-shirts reading “Keep Women’s Sports Female” in silent protest.
SCHOOL PROTESTS ERUPT
The backlash intensified on Monday as students returned to school:
- Girls from Tumwater High School protested with signs reading “XX” and “protect female sports”
- Multiple school districts have called for policy changes
- The runner-up, Lauren Matthew, was photographed holding a sign declaring herself the “real girls’ state champion
Matthew told local media: “I shouldn’t have to push myself to the point of where I’m about to, like, die in order to win.”
POLICY BATTLE INTENSIFIES
The controversy comes as Washington state grapples with transgender athlete participation:
CURRENT POLICY: The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has allowed trans students to compete based on gender identity since 2007
PROPOSED CHANGES: Two amendments under consideration would:
- Ban transgender girls from girls’ sports
- Create a separate “open division” for transgender athletes
THE VOTE: Amendment 7 failed by just ONE vote in April 2025, receiving 31 of the required 32 votes needed to pass
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
High-profile critics quickly weighed in:
RILEY GAINES, former collegiate swimmer and activist, posted: “Would you look at that… the thing that never happens happened again. Congratulations to Lauren Matthew, the real Washington State Champion in the girls’ 400m.
DONALD TRUMP signed an executive order in February titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” though Washington state officials say it contradicts state law
THE NUMBERS
According to WIAA officials:
- Only 5-10 transgender athletes compete among 250,000 student-athletes statewide
- Garcia is the first known transgender athlete to win a Washington state championship
- Studies show approximately 3.3% of US high school students identify as transgender
GARCIA’S PERSPECTIVE
In previous interviews, Garcia explained the decision to compete on the girls’ team:
If I’m gonna start living my life as a woman, it would make more sense to compete on the women’s team, but also for my own safety if I remained on boys team.
Garcia, who declined to disclose whether hormone therapy or puberty blockers were being used, said: “Already transgender youth are feeling unwelcome in sports. The point of high school teams is to feel like you belong to something.”
SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSES
Multiple districts have passed resolutions supporting restrictions:
- Mead School District
- Central Valley School District
- Moses Lake School District
- Lynden School District
East Valley Athletic Director Eric Vermaire defended Garcia’s participation: “We are doing everything the way it is laid out for us.”
LEGAL LIMBO
The situation remains complex:
STATE LAW: Washington’s Law Against Discrimination prohibits discrimination based on gender identity
FEDERAL PRESSURE: Trump administration threatens to withhold funding from schools allowing trans athletes in girls’ sports
WIAA POSITION: “Until the Association sees full language of the executive order and conducts further legal review, its impact on participation in Washington public schools is unknown
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
- WIAA will vote again on proposed policy changes in coming months
- Legal challenges expected regardless of outcome
- School districts caught between federal and state requirements
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal called Trump’s order “discriminatory” and vowed: “Washington state will do everything in our power to defend the rule of law, states’ rights to establish education policy, and to protect the beautiful diversity of our 1.1 million students.
THE DIVIDED REACTION
SUPPORTERS SAY:
- Trans students deserve equal opportunities
- Current policy has worked for 18 years
- Discrimination violates state law
CRITICS ARGUE:
- Biological advantages are unfair to female athletes
- Girls are losing opportunities and scholarships
- Safety and fairness should be prioritized
