Supreme Court Upholds Transgender Athlete Bans in Idaho and West Virginia
The Supreme Court upheld Idaho and West Virginia laws restricting girls’ and women’s school sports teams to biological females, delivering a major legal victory to states defending transgender athlete bans.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the Court that Title IX permits schools to separate male and female sports teams based on biological sex. The Court also rejected Equal Protection challenges to the two laws, finding that states may use sex-based classifications in sports to advance interests in safety and competitive fairness.
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The ruling does not impose a nationwide ban. It allows states to enforce laws like those in Idaho and West Virginia and leaves separate questions about permissive policies in other states unresolved.
Reaction was immediate. Trump celebrated the decision, while West Virginia officials praised it as a victory for women’s athletics. Civil-rights groups including Lambda Legal, the ACLU and Legal Voice called the ruling harmful to transgender girls and women and said legal advocacy would continue.
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