Justices Seem Inclined to Allow States to Bar Transgender Athletes
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared inclined to uphold state laws from West Virginia and Idaho that bar transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports teams based on biological sex assigned at birth.
- These cases have nationwide implications, affecting 25 other states with similar laws and athletes competing in school and collegiate sports across the U.S.
- The justices debated issues of fairness, scientific uncertainty, and discrimination during a more than three-hour discussion, revealing a clear ideological divide.
- The three liberal justices indicated that while the laws might be constitutional generally, the specific transgender athletes challenging the laws should be allowed to pursue further legal review to demonstrate they do not have unfair competitive advantages.
