US Supreme Court upholds state ban on transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports | Today’s news
The US Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that states can ban transgender girls and women from competing on women’s high school and college sports teams, upholding laws passed in West Virginia and Idaho in a landmark ruling on transgender rights.
The ruling allows states to limit participation in girls’ and women’s sports based on biological sex, marking another major victory for President Donald Trump’s administration, which has backed states in the case.
Court upholds West Virginia and Idaho laws
In a unanimous 9-0 decision, the justices found that the laws did not violate Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination in education based on sex.
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The Supreme Court has ruled that states can legally bar transgender girls and women from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, upholding laws in Idaho and West Virginia that require participation based on biological sex.
The court upheld the bans on the grounds that they were consistent with Title IX, which protects gender-based educational rights, and that states have the authority to ensure competitive fairness and safety in women’s sports.
Laws require public schools and universities to designate athletic teams based on biological sex, preventing students identified as male at birth from participating on girls’ and women’s teams.
Under the Supreme Court ruling, states can choose to limit participation based on biological sex, meaning transgender athletes cannot compete in women’s sports if they were male at birth.
The court rejected arguments by transgender students challenging the bans, which claimed the laws discriminated based on gender and transgender status, finding no violations of Title IX or the 14th Amendment.
However, the court split 6-3 on whether the laws also satisfy the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, with six conservative justices voting to uphold the restrictions and three liberal justices dissenting on the constitutional question.
The ruling overturns lower court decisions that sided with transgender students who challenged the bans.
What the court said
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, said states could continue to segregate sports teams based on biological sex.
“Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we believe states can preserve women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They can determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex.”
Kavanaugh added that Title IX has played a vital role in expanding opportunities for female athletes, saying the term “sex” in the 1972 law refers to biological sex.
He also wrote that the restrictions support states’ interests in ensuring competitive fairness and safety in women’s sports.
What do laws do?
Laws in Idaho and West Virginia require public schools and universities to designate athletic teams based on biological sex, and prohibit students identified as male at birth from competing on girls’ and women’s teams.
According to the court, 25 other states have passed similar laws.
Arguments from both sides
Idaho and West Virginia argued that the laws were necessary to preserve fair competition and protect opportunities for women and girls in sports.
Transgender students challenging the laws argued that the measures discriminated on the basis of gender and transgender status, violating both Title IX and the 14th Amendment.
The Supreme Court rejected these arguments.
The Trump administration welcomed the decision
President Donald Trump’s administration has supported states throughout the lawsuit as part of its broader effort to roll back protections for transgender people.
Following the decision, the White House posted on social media:
“FROM NOW WOMEN’S SPORTS WILL BE FOR WOMEN ONLY.”
The decision is in line with Trump’s executive actions aimed at limiting transgender participation in sports starting when he returns to office in January 2025.
Cases behind the judgment
The West Virginia case was brought by Becky Pepper-Jackson, a transgender high school student who competes in the shot put and discus.
The case in Idaho was filed by Lindsay Hecox, a transgender student at Boise State University. Hecox later quit the sport and sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, citing concerns about harassment and growing hostility toward transgender people.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in January, with conservative justices expressing concern about imposing a statewide standard amid an ongoing debate over whether gender-affirming treatments eliminate physiological advantages in athletic competition.
Tuesday’s decision was among the final judgments the Supreme Court issued before the end of its current term.
