On January 13, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court (Court) heard arguments concerning laws in West Virginia and Idaho that bar transgender students from participating in girls’ or women’s sports. In previous lower court rulings, lower court injunctions allowed an athlete form each state to continue to compete in sports. However, upon hearing oral arguments it appears likely the Court will uphold state laws that ban transgender athletes from taking part in girls’ and women’s school and college sports.
In fact, during arguments, questions asked by justices indicated a majority appeared reluctant to find that the laws violate either the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which requires that the law apply equally to everyone, or Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.
The eventual ruling is likely to have nationwide implications, at least for the 25 other states with similar bans as West Virginia and Idaho. Nonetheless, the Court seemed eager for a narrow ruling restricted to sports, which may limit its impact on litigation over other policies that affect transgender people, such as restroom access.
Source: NBC News
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