The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday opened oral arguments in a pair of closely watched cases evaluating whether multiple states can legally bar transgender athletes from competing on female sports teams in public schools and colleges. The hearings mark a major moment in the national debate over transgender rights, discrimination law, and the scope of protections under federal civil rights statutes.
The legal challenge centers on laws enacted in Idaho and West Virginia that define school sports teams according to “biological sex” and forbid transgender girls and women from joining teams that align with their gender identity. Lower federal courts previously ruled that these bans violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and Title IX—a 1972 federal civil rights law that forbids sex-based discrimination in education programs receiving federal funds. Those rulings are now under review by the nation’s highest court.
During Tuesday’s arguments, conservative justices signaled openness to upholding the state laws, suggesting deference to legislative judgments about fairness in women’s athletics. Supporters of the bans argue that biological differences justify excluding transgender girls from girls’ and women’s sports to preserve competitive equity. Meanwhile, liberal justices expressed concern that the laws unlawfully target transgender individuals and could undermine longstanding anti-discrimination protections under both the Constitution and Title IX.
The Biden administration has thrown its weight behind the challenge to the bans, contending that denying transgender students the ability to compete consistent with their gender identity is discriminatory. Opponents of the laws also warn that a Supreme Court reversal of the lower court decisions could have far-reaching consequences beyond athletics, affecting other areas of public life where gender identity and equal protection intersect.
The outcome of these cases could reshape legal standards for how sex and gender are defined under federal law and influence policies in more than two dozen states that have passed or are considering similar restrictions. A ruling is expected by late spring or early summer.