Federal Judge Dismisses Wyoming Sorority Transgender Membership Lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed, for the second time and with prejudice, a lawsuit filed by former members of the University of Wyoming's Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority challenging the admission of Artemis Langford, a transgender woman, on the basis that she did not meet the sorority's definition of "woman." Judge Alan Johnson ruled that the sorority has the contractual right to define "women" expansively, based on gender identity rather than strictly biological sex, and that the court would not impose a narrow definition. The plaintiffs' claims, which included allegations of inappropriate behavior by Langford, were criticized by the judge as weak and filled with personal attacks rather than legal arguments. The judge also dismissed references to President Donald Trump's executive order defining women as "adult human females," stating that such definitions apply only within the executive branch and are irrelevant in private contracts. The Trump administration's Department of Education launched an investigation into Langford's admission, but the legal battle ended with the court siding with the sorority, sparking outrage among women's rights advocates who argue this undermines female students' safety and rights. Despite the ruling, plaintiffs may still file an appeal, though the case highlights ongoing legal and societal debates over gender identity and women's spaces in educational institutions.