The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on whether schools can ban transgender students from sports teams that align with their gender identity, reigniting a nationwide clash over civil rights and state power under a newly redefined federal agenda.
At a Glance
- The Supreme Court will hear a case involving West Virginia’s ban on transgender girls in school sports.
- A lower court blocked the law from applying to a 13-year-old transgender girl.
- West Virginia argues the law protects fairness in women’s athletics.
- Biden’s previous Title IX policy was withdrawn in late 2024.
- The Trump administration reinstated sex-based restrictions in 2025.
Federal Reversal, State Power
In a direct challenge to the legal meaning of “sex” in schools, the Supreme Court has accepted a pair of high-stakes appeals—West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Idaho’s Little v. Hecox—that question whether transgender girls can be excluded from female sports under state law. At issue is West Virginia’s 2021 ban that blocked a 13-year-old transgender girl, “B.P.J.,” from joining her school’s cross-country team.
The legal terrain has shifted dramatically. The Biden administration’s Title IX rule—which sought to prohibit blanket bans—was officially withdrawn in December 2024 after court challenges halted its rollout. In January 2025, the Trump administration reinstated a hardline interpretation of sex under Executive Orders 14201 and 14168, redefining it as strictly tied to birth assignment.
Watch a report: Supreme Court will hear transgender athlete participation case
With new federal guidance backing sex-based restrictions, West Virginia officials argue their law is now fully aligned with national standards. But LGBTQ+ advocates, including the ACLU, contend it violates constitutional guarantees and targets vulnerable students. The Fourth Circuit granted a preliminary injunction for B.P.J., prompting Supreme Court review in its 2025–2026 term.
Title IX May Be Rewritten—Again
The ruling could determine how Title IX is interpreted across public education nationwide. If the Court upholds West Virginia’s law, the decision could greenlight the enforcement of similar bans already enacted in over 20 states. If it strikes down the statute, it could reset the national balance on gender identity rights in schools.
Legal observers say the Court’s conservative majority—bolstered by previous rulings on prayer in schools and gender-affirming care—has signaled a willingness to favor state autonomy over federal intervention. In Idaho, a nearly identical ban remains blocked by lower courts but may be upheld under the new federal standard, pending the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Civil rights groups are bracing for a decisive interpretation of sex discrimination that could reshape access to education, sports, and student protections for a generation. The verdict is expected by June 2026—and the national fallout is already building.
