Support Trans Youth Athletes' Right to Participate in School Sports

The Supreme Court will soon hear two cases challenging state bans on transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia. These cases reveal how discriminatory legislation harms young people who simply want to participate in school sports with their peers. The West Virginia case centers on Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old trans girl who was the only transgender athlete in the entire state when H.B. 3293 was enacted in 2021. Despite claims that the law was necessary to save women's sports from an influx of male athletes threatening championships, the reality is starkly different. The law banned exactly one sixth-grade girl from participating on her school's cross-country and track-and-field teams with her friends. This represents targeted discrimination against a single child, not a measured policy response to a genuine problem. The Idaho case challenging H.B. 500 raises additional concerns about invasive enforcement mechanisms. The law allows anyone, including opposing teams or bystanders, to dispute a girl's sex. When disputes occur, the law requires verification through examination of 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 go far beyond routine sports physicals. This creates an environment where any girl athlete faces potential privacy violations simply for participating in sports. Becky Pepper-Jackson told CNN: "I know that I can handle it and it's never crossed my mind to stop, because I know I'm doing it for everybody." Her courage highlights what is at stake for trans youth nationwide. I urge you to publicly support the rights of transgender youth to participate in school sports consistent with their gender identity. These young people deserve the same opportunities for friendship, teamwork, and personal growth that sports provide to all students.