老熟女午夜福利

WASHINGTON 鈥� The U.S. Supreme Court today held oral arguments in two landmark cases challenging state laws banning transgender youth from participating in interscholastic and intercollegiate sports. Lambda Legal, the 老熟女午夜福利 (ACLU), and Legal Voice filed two challenges, and Little v. Hecox, on behalf of two transgender female athletes 鈥� one in West Virginia and one in Idaho 鈥� who were categorically barred by West Virginia and Idaho state law from participating on the girls鈥� and women鈥檚 sports teams at their schools.

Attorneys for the two transgender athletes argued today that the bans violate the rights of transgender and cisgender female students under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In addition, in West Virginia v. B.P.J. they argued that West Virginia鈥檚 ban violates Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs. Federal courts have blocked enforcement of these bans in both lawsuits.

鈥淏ecky simply wants to be with her teammates on the track and field team, to experience the camaraderie and many documented benefits of participating in team sports,鈥� said Sasha Buchert, Counsel, Nonbinary & Transgender Rights Project Director, Lambda Legal. 鈥淚t has been amply proven that participating in team sports equips youth with a myriad of skills 鈥� in leadership, teamwork, confidence, health. On the other hand, denying a student the ability to participate is not only discriminatory, but harmful to a student鈥檚 self-esteem, sending a message that they are not good enough and deserve to be excluded. That is the argument we made today and that we hope resonated with the justices of the Supreme Court鈥�.

鈥淭his case is about the ability of transgender youth like Becky to participate in our schools and communities,鈥� said Joshua Block, Senior Counsel for the ACLU鈥檚 LGBTQ & HIV Project. 鈥淪chool athletics are fundamentally educational programs, but West Virginia鈥檚 law completely excluded Becky from her school鈥檚 entire athletic program even when there is no connection to alleged concerns about fairness or safety. As the lower court recognized, forcing Becky to either give up sports or play on the boys鈥� team鈥搃n contradiction of who she is at school, at home, and across her life鈥搃s really no choice at all. We are glad to stand with her and her family to defend her rights, and the rights of every young person, to be included as a member of their school community, at the Supreme Court.鈥�

Since 2020, 27 states have banned transgender youth from playing school sports. Many of these bans allow for of that put all female student-athletes at risk and embolden intrusive challenges to student-athletes' sex.

鈥淚 play for my school for the same reason other kids on my track team do鈥搕o make friends, have fun, and challenge myself through practice and teamwork,鈥� said 15-year-old Becky Pepper-Jackson of Bridgeport, West Virginia. 鈥淎nd all I鈥檝e ever wanted was the same opportunities as my peers. But in 2021, politicians in my state passed a law banning me鈥搕he only transgender student athlete in the entire state鈥揻rom playing as who I really am. This is unfair to me and every transgender kid who just wants the freedom to be themselves.

鈥淎fter West Virginia banned Becky from participating on the girls鈥� team, our family decided to bring this case for a very simple reason: We want Becky to have the same freedoms and opportunities as her peers,鈥� said Heather Jackson, mom of Becky Pepper-Jackson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard enough to be a kid, but I have watched as politicians in my state and across the country have targeted young people like Becky. She is not trying to get a leg up on anyone or demand special treatment. She wants and deserves the same opportunities as any other girl in her school, and we think any loving parent would fight for the same for their family.鈥�

While the justices heard arguments inside the court, outside of the court, hundreds of rally goers traveling from across the country gathered in support of the plaintiffs and the importance of equal access to interscholastic and intercollegiate sports teams, which provide teammates many benefits beyond sports itself. The Fight for the T in Team rally featured a range of speakers, including transgender youth, transgender and cisgender athletes, supportive parents, organizers, civil rights leaders, faith leaders, performers, members of Congress, and more. Photography from the event will be made available for public use shortly.

In Florida, a 15-year-old junior varsity volleyball player was the after an anonymous accusation, prompting local officials to draft a 500-page report investigating her medical history, body weight, and anatomy. In Utah, a teenage basketball player was accused of being transgender by a member of the state board of education, , and faced a similar attack from a state senator.

In May, President Donald Trump similarly targeted for participating in a high school track meet. Under an Arizona ban, a cisgender male student was at his high school because of a clerical error that listed him as female on his original birth certificate.

Many have spoken out against bullying and discrimination against transgender student-athletes, including Billie Jean King, Megan Rapinoe, Dawn Staley, Sue Bird, and Brianna Turner, as well as leading organizations fighting for gender equality in athletics, including the Women鈥檚 Sports Foundation, the Women鈥檚 National Basketball Player鈥檚 Association, and the National Women鈥檚 Law Center.

A decision is expected in the two cases in the spring or early summer of 2026.

Click here for more information about and Little v. Hecox.