On Tuesday, June 30, 2026, the US Supreme Court delivered a significant setback for transgender rights by upholding state laws that prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls’ school sports.

In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled against two transgender students, Becky Pepper-Jackson and Lindsay Hecox, who challenged restrictive laws in West Virginia and Idaho, respectively. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the majority, concluded that these laws do not violate the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause nor Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bans sex discrimination in education.

Kavanaugh wrote, “The Constitution and Title IX do not require a transformation of girls’ and women’s sports across the United States.” Yet, he acknowledged the importance of respecting transgender girls and women who wish to compete, emphasizing that “their desire to compete deserves respect” and that they should not be “marginalized or vilified.”

While this ruling directly affects only West Virginia and Idaho, it is expected to influence similar bans in about 25 other states.

This decision marks the latest in a series of rulings by the conservative-majority Supreme Court (6-3) that have rolled back protections for transgender individuals. Last year, the Court upheld laws banning gender transition treatments for transgender minors. Earlier this year, it sided with parents opposing California policies protecting transgender students. Additionally, previous rulings have allowed Trump-era policies barring transgender people from military service and restricting gender markers on passports to remain in place.

In contrast, a 2020 ruling remains a notable exception, where the Court affirmed that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees from discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Pepper-Jackson, a 16-year-old high school sophomore, has undergone puberty blockers and estrogen treatment and competed in girls’ cross country, shot put, and discus events. Hecox, 25 and a college student, has received testosterone suppression and estrogen treatments. She attempted to join women’s collegiate track and field teams but was unsuccessful and now participates in recreational running and soccer leagues.

The trajectory of transgender rights has shifted dramatically in the past decade. After years of progress, recent years have seen increased legal and political challenges. Former President Donald Trump, a vocal opponent of transgender rights, signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” shortly after taking office and supported states in this Supreme Court case. His administration also opposed state policies allowing transgender athletes full participation in girls’ sports and filed a lawsuit against California over this issue.

Internationally, the International Olympic Committee announced in March that transgender women would no longer be allowed to compete in female categories at the Olympic Games. The NCAA and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee have also imposed new restrictions on transgender athlete participation.

West Virginia’s 2021 law defines sex “exclusively based on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth,” defining a woman as someone whose biological sex was female at birth. Idaho’s 2020 law similarly states that sports “designated for women or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.”

This ruling raises critical questions about inclusion, fairness, and the evolving landscape of civil rights for transgender people in the US — issues that resonate deeply with diverse communities, including migrants and young people navigating identity and belonging.