Supreme Court Upholds State Bans on Trans Girls in Sports
The US Supreme Court's conservative supermajority on Tuesday upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho that prohibit transgender girls from participating on women's sports teams, ruling that the laws are constitutional. The decision advances a key cause of anti-LGBTQ+ advocates who have pushed to curtail trans rights across education, employment, healthcare, and the military.
Impact on State Laws and Advocates' Response
The ruling will support similar restrictions in 25 other states that have enacted bans on trans youth sports participation. However, LGBTQ+ advocates emphasize that the immediate legal impact is narrow and does not create a national ban. More than 20 states maintain inclusive policies allowing trans students to play on teams matching their gender identity.
"We're not backing down," said Nereyda Hernandez, a California trans rights advocate and mother of AB Hernandez, a 17-year-old track-and-field athlete from Jurupa Valley, California. AB became widely known after former President Donald Trump targeted her on social media last year. "I've always said, you're not going to intimidate me or bully my kid out of sports."
Voices of Trans Youth Athletes
AB Hernandez, a recent high school graduate, described the importance of sports in her life: "Sports have just meant the absolute world to me. If I had been forced to join the boys' team, it would just be so uncomfortable for all of us. They're failing to see on my girls' team, everyone is super happy and super nice and no one cares. We're just high school girls trying to have fun and play a sport we all love."
Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old trans girl and track athlete from West Virginia, challenged the state's ban in the case West Virginia v. BPJ. "Politicians in my state passed a law banning me – the only transgender student athlete in the state – from playing on the team that reflects who I really am," she said in a recent speech, adding that the case is "just one part of a plan to push transgender people like me out of the public life entirely."
California Athletes Speak Out
Lina Haaga, a 15-year-old track athlete from Pasadena, California, who transitioned at age four, has become a vocal advocate after being attacked in right-wing media. "Sports have meant a lot in terms of finding community, finding friends, making connections," she said. "The story of the inclusion of trans people in sports isn't just limited to athletics. It's a domino effect, and if we relent this battle, we risk giving up the rights of trans people in other areas. We need to stay strong and continue fighting."
Lina plans to continue athletics in the fall despite facing hate and vitriol, including after winning a race against her sister. "There were times I considered quitting. It's really daunting to have nameless, faceless adults on the internet commenting horrible things, not just about the fairness of my participation, but about my appearance, my identity, my character," she said. "But at times when I was really struggling, I always reminded myself there's a joy and beauty about sports and benefits every kid should be able to access."
Her mother, Catalina Haaga, noted that the national debate overlooks real-world impacts: "We're prioritizing competition over inclusion, tolerance, belonging. We need to zoom out as a nation and ask, what is the greater value at stake? In our home, the answer is belonging is more important than a trophy."
Ripple Effects and Enforcement Concerns
Anti-trans groups argue the bans are necessary to protect women's sports and fairness, while LGBTQ+ rights advocates contend there is no credible evidence that inclusive policies have endangered cisgender girls. The NCAA president reported in 2024 that fewer than 10 trans athletes participate in college sports, and lawmakers have struggled to identify out K-12 trans athletes in their states. However, advocates note that more than 110,000 trans youth aged 13 to 17 live in states with sports bans and are affected by exclusionary policies.
Lily Norcross, a 17-year-old track athlete from California's Central Coast, expressed fear of ripple effects from the ruling. "Anytime the Trump administration pursues anti-trans policies, we see a noticeable uptick in hate crimes," she said. "It's a very real possibility that threats made to me become increasingly more violent to the point where I no longer feel safe to participate." Her father, Trevor Norcross, added: "It's devastating as a parent to hear your child have to talk that way and deal with these issues. That's the goal of the other side. This has never had anything to do with sports or fairness or bathrooms. The agenda is eradication of transgender people."
Lily vowed to continue: "I will not back down from this fight. I know I'm in a horrible position, but there are so many people out there in Nebraska, Idaho, Texas or Florida who are in so much worse positions than me." She also questioned enforcement, asking, "Will there be video surveillance in locker rooms?" Advocates warn that bans can encourage invasive sex-testing procedures that scrutinize all girls, including cisgender girls perceived as trans.
Political Reactions and Support
The New York Civil Liberties Union stated that the ruling does not impact existing civil rights protections for trans youth in New York but will "embolden more transphobic policies in an attempt to erase trans kids and their existence from daily life." New York Attorney General Letitia James said she would continue fighting discriminatory policies. Other Democratic officials, including the Washington state attorney general, Virginia's lieutenant governor, Senators Ed Markey and Pramila Jayapal, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, criticized the ruling and reaffirmed support for trans youth.
Abigail Jones, a trans athlete and recent high school graduate from Riverside, California, urged people to stand up to anti-trans bigotry: "For trans people, sports can be extremely important and even life-saving for some. It does usually grant people subject to a lot of discrimination and hatred a team and community and friendships and bonding."
