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U.S. Supreme Court Upholds State Bans on Transgender Athletes in Girls’ and Women’s School Sports
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that state laws barring transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s school sports do not violate the Constitution or Title IX. The decision leaves the Idaho and West Virginia statutes in place and affects similar measures in other states.
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The U.S. Supreme Court upheld state laws from Idaho and West Virginia that bar transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s school sports. The 6-3 decision found that the bans do not violate the U.S.
Constitution or Title IX. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that the term sex in Title IX cannot plausibly be interpreted to refer to anything other than biological sex. The majority opinion concluded that states may maintain separate categories for female athletes based on biological sex without running afoul of federal anti-discrimination law.
The ruling resolves conflicting lower-court decisions on whether such state laws conflict with Title IX’s protections against sex discrimination in education programs. Tuesday’s decision leaves the Idaho and West Virginia statutes in place while signaling how the Court may view comparable measures elsewhere.
The New York Times reported that the decision affects 25 other states that maintain similar restrictions on transgender female athletes joining women’s sports teams.
No further immediate legal action was announced by the parties involved.
