Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Transgender Sports Bans in Idaho, West Virginia

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two significant cases challenging state laws that ban transgender-identifying males from participating in women’s sports, focusing on Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act and West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act. Both laws were previously blocked by lower courts, with the Fourth and Ninth Circuits ruling against the enforcement of these bans. West Virginia’s case involves a lawsuit brought by a parent on behalf of her transgender-identifying son who was barred from girls’ sports, while Idaho’s case was initiated by transgender athletes challenging the exclusion. State attorneys general from both states expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will uphold their laws, emphasizing the protection of fairness and safety for female athletes under Title IX and the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court’s decisions are expected during the October 2025 term and could set a nationwide precedent on whether states can define sports participation based on biological sex. These cases follow the Court’s recent ruling upholding an Idaho law banning gender-affirming care for minors, highlighting an ongoing judicial focus on transgender issues in state policies.