US Supreme Court Upholds Laws That Ban Transgender Girls From Girls' School Teams

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that states can prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls' sports at publicly funded schools, handing a significant victory to supporters of restrictions on transgender athletes.

In a majority opinion written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the court held that states are allowed to limit participation on girls' and women's sports teams based on a person's sex assigned at birth. The ruling is one of the court's most significant decisions on transgender rights and is expected to shape future legal battles across the United States.

The court said Title IX allows schools to have separate teams for boys and girls. Therefore, states can set rules based on a student's sex assigned at birth.

The Supreme Court's ruling means that U.S. states can legally ban transgender girls from playing on girls' sports teams in public schools and colleges. The court said states may base eligibility on a student's sex assigned at birth, arguing that this is allowed under Title IX, the federal law governing sex discrimination in education. The decision allows existing state bans to remain in place and gives other states the option to introduce similar laws.

The ruling follows last year's Supreme Court decision allowing states to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors. Many states have also introduced laws restricting gender marker changes on official documents and limiting access to public facilities for transgender people.