The US Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld state laws in West Virginia and Idaho that ban transgender girls and women from competing on female athletic teams at public schools and universities. In a 6-3 decision handed down on the final day of the court's term, the justices voted to overturn previous judgments issued by lower courts in favor of transgender students who had sued after being barred from competition.
The court's conservative majority ruled that these state bans do not violate the Constitution or Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The justices determined that state schools can restrict women's and girls' sports for biological females under Title IX.
This ruling is a major victory for conservatives and President Donald Trump in one of the country's most fiercely contested culture wars. It marks the latest in a series of high court rulings backing restrictions on transgender rights and is viewed as another blow to the LGBTQ+ community.
While the court has ruled on these restrictions, lawsuits challenging state laws and regulations that permit transgender athletes to compete consistent with their gender identity remain unresolved.