The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld an Idaho law that bans transgender girls and women from participating in sports at school, a discriminatory law that we’ve been challenging since 2020. In the same decision, the court also ruled against our allies’ challenge to a similar law in West Virginia.
This is a heartbreaking ruling for our client and transgender girls like her, who have asked for nothing more than the same opportunities afforded to their peers.
We reject many of the majority’s arguments, and we maintain that the equality of transgender women and girls promotes the equality of all women and girls. When laws and policies ensure that every person is treated with dignity, protected from discrimination, and given the opportunity to participate fully in society, those protections strengthen the rights and freedoms for all women.
Thankfully, the court did not grant what we know the politicians driving this issue wanted from the start: a broad precedent allowing restrictions on the freedom of all transgender people in our schools, workplaces, and communities.
As we move forward, we are reflecting on everything this first-in-the-nation case has meant — and the community that made this fight possible.
Because of your support, we secured victories at lower courts that blocked Idaho from enforcing its ban against our client. Because of your support, we showed transgender students and their families that they are not alone. And because of your support, we defended trans equality at the highest court in the nation.
Today’s rulings do not erase that history, and our resistance and solidarity still matter. Every election, legislative session, rally, and conversation is an opportunity to reaffirm our values and shape our region into a place where everyone can thrive.
