U.S. Supreme Court Upholds State Bans on Transgender Athletes in School Sports

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 ruling in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, upholding state laws that require school sports teams to be based on biological sex listed on a student's birth certificate. The Court held that the statutes do not violate Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause, allowing existing bans in 27 states to remain and giving other states a clear path to adopt similar measures.

The decision follows a shift in the Court’s approach to transgender rights since 2020, moving from the pro‑trans Bostock employment ruling to recent rulings that limited gender‑affirming medical care and dismissed transgender service members. It has prompted reactions across the country: Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown condemned the ruling as discriminatory, while Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey pledged to defend the state’s own ban. NCAA President Charlie Baker said the organization’s eligibility policy is unlikely to change, and Olympic runner Nikki Hiltz expressed disappointment, noting the impact on transgender athletes’ inclusion.

The ruling also influences pending political actions, such as Arizona’s HCR 2003 ballot measure that would codify similar restrictions statewide. Legal experts anticipate the Department of Education may use the opinion to support enforcement of state bans, and further litigation could address whether schools may still allow transgender athletes under other policies.