Скачать или смотреть High Court Considers Bans on Transgender Athletes in Girls’ Sports

Original Air Date: 01/13/2025

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a high-stakes challenge to state laws in West Virginia and Idaho that bar transgender girls from competing on female high school sports teams. The case centers on West Virginia’s “Save Women’s Sports Act” and a 15-year-old transgender athlete who argues the law violates the Constitution and Title IX protections against sex discrimination.

During more than three hours of arguments, justices weighed fairness in women’s sports against equal protection and civil rights concerns, with signals suggesting the Court’s conservative majority may side with the states. Lower courts had previously blocked the bans, but a ruling expected this summer could reshape national policy on transgender rights well beyond athletics.

With states sharply divided—27 states restricting transgender participation and others allowing it—the decision could have sweeping implications for schools, civil rights law, and the future of competitive sports nationwide.