Washington family seeks SCOTUS injunction over female wrestler's safety

A Washington family has filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking an injunction to prevent a teenage female wrestler from being matched against male athletes without prior notice. The request follows a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to deny the plea.

The lawsuit, filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom on behalf of Kallie Keeler and her mother, Stephanie Brown, stems from an incident during a girls' wrestling tournament in December 2025. The family alleges that Keeler was sexually assaulted by a male opponent during a match and was not informed of the opponent's gender prior to competing.

The family is seeking a guarantee that Keeler will not be forced to wrestle a male athlete or, at minimum, will receive advance notice to allow her to opt out. The school district and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association have previously declined these requests, citing policies regarding the confidentiality of gender-identity information.