A group of 130 Democratic lawmakers, including members of the House and Senate, has asked the Supreme Court to support transgender athletes in two important cases set for early next year. The cases, Little v. Hecox from Idaho and West Virginia v. B.P.J., deal with laws that restrict transgender athletes from competing in sports teams that match their gender identity.
These lawmakers submitted a legal brief urging the court to reject broad bans on transgender athletes in school sports. They argue that such bans harm transgender students and prevent them from fully being part of their school communities. Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who helped lead the effort, said these laws also hurt women and girls by exposing them to discrimination and controlling children’s bodies. She emphasized that these bans go against the purpose of Title IX, a federal law that stops sex discrimination in education.
The brief features signatures from several well-known Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s name is missing from the list.
The Idaho case started when Lindsay Hecox, a transgender college athlete, sued over Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. This law prevents trans-identifying male athletes from joining women’s sports teams in the state. A lower court blocked the law after the lawsuit was filed in 2020. Now, Idaho wants the Supreme Court to rule on whether such sports restrictions based on biological sex violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
The West Virginia case involves a similar law blocking transgender males from competing on female sports teams. A mother of a transgender student is challenging that state’s law. The Supreme Court is set to hear this case alongside the Idaho one. West Virginia asks if Title IX allows states to separate sports teams by biological sex and whether their law is constitutional.
These cases come amid contrasting views on gender identity and sex. Former President Donald Trump previously signed executive orders emphasizing biological sex as the basis for policies, rejecting gender identity as part of that definition. His administration does not interpret Title IX to cover gender identity, especially when it comes to sports.
The Supreme Court’s current conservative majority has recently made rulings seen as setbacks for transgender rights, including decisions on minors’ access to medical treatments and LGBTQ-related education.
As the Court prepares to hear these cases on January 13, 2026, the nation watches closely. The decisions could have wide-reaching effects on how transgender rights and women’s sports are handled across the country.
