1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

The Supreme Court is currently hearing cases from Idaho and West Virginia that challenge state bans on transgender athletes participating in sports consistent with their gender identity. While lower courts initially ruled in favor of trans athletes in both cases, the states have appealed, creating uncertainty about federal protections. I am writing to urge you to proactively enact state-level protections that guarantee transgender youth the right to participate in school sports. The West Virginia case illustrates the discriminatory nature of these bans. When H.B. 3293 was enacted in 2021, the state claimed it was necessary to save women's sports from an influx of male athletes threatening championships. The reality was starkly different: the law banned exactly one sixth-grade transgender girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, from participating on her school's cross-country and track-and-field teams with her friends. This was not about protecting competitive fairness but about targeting a single individual. The Idaho case reveals even more troubling implications. H.B. 500 includes sex-verification requirements that can be triggered when any person, including opposing teams or bystanders, disputes a girl's sex. The law requires disputes to be resolved by examining a student's reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or testosterone levels. This means all female athletes, whether transgender or cisgender, could be subjected to invasive tests including pelvic examinations that extend far beyond routine sports physicals. We cannot rely on the current Supreme Court to protect vulnerable youth from discriminatory legislation. I urge you to introduce and support legislation that explicitly protects the rights of transgender students to participate in school activities consistent with their gender identity. These protections should include clear privacy safeguards that prevent invasive verification procedures for any student athlete. Our state has the opportunity to lead by ensuring all young people can participate in sports with dignity and respect.