The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two cases involving transgender youth challenging bans prohibiting them from participating in school sports.
Breaking News: The Supreme Court agreed to hear cases on state laws barring trans athletes in girls’ and women’s sports. https://t.co/7ulckpK4KW
— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 3, 2025
The court will hear cases involving two transgender students, Becky Pepper-Jackson and Lindsay Hecox, who challenged state bans in West Virginia and Idaho, respectively.
In Little v. Hecox, plaintiffs are challenging Idaho’s 2020 ban, which requires sex testing to adjudicate questions of an athlete’s eligibility.
From the Washington Blade:
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals described the process in a 2023 decision halting the policy’s enforcement pending an outcome in the litigation.
The “sex dispute verification process, whereby any individual can ‘dispute’ the sex of any female student athlete in the state of Idaho,” the court wrote, would “require her to undergo intrusive medical procedures to verify her sex, including gynecological exams.”
In West Virginia v. B.P.J., a trans middle school student is challenging the Mountain State’s 2021 ban on trans athletes.
The plaintiff was participating in cross country when the law was passed, taking puberty blockers that would have significantly reduced the chances that she could have a physiological advantage over cisgender peers.
“Our client just wants to play sports with her friends and peers.” — Sasha Buchert, Senior Attorney and Director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project, Lambda Legal Learn more: lambdalegal.org/newsroom/bpj…
— Lambda Legal (@lambdalegal.org) July 3, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Tara Borelli said in a statement: “Our client just wants to play sports with her friends and peers.Everyone understands the value of participating in team athletics, for fitness, leadership, socialization, and myriad other benefits.”
“The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit last April issued a thoughtful and thorough ruling allowing B.P.J. to continue participating in track events,” she added. “That well-reasoned decision should stand the test of time, and we stand ready to defend it.”
Since taking control of both legislative chambers, Republican members of Congress have tried — and failed — to pass a national ban like those now enforced in 27 states since 2020.
We know from SCOTUS’ Skrmetti ruling that Barrett, Alito, and Thomas want to take the ruling on medical bans and extend them further to deny equal protection. Many fear that they could use sports bans as a better vehicle to deny equal protection.
BREAKING: The Supreme Court said Thursday that it would hear appeals from three states seeking to uphold laws excluding transgender student athletes from participation in girls’ and women’s sports teams.
Read more: https://t.co/GygT1wx8Nc pic.twitter.com/ygCPJMNlNx — ABC News (@ABC) July 3, 2025
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