The US Supreme Court has ruled that states may ban transgender women from competing in female school and college sports, upholding laws that require athletes to compete according to their sex recorded at birth.

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The decision came in two cases involving challenges to laws in Idaho and West Virginia, where transgender students argued the restrictions were unlawful. More than two dozen states have introduced similar bans since Idaho became the first to do so in 2020.

The court unanimously found that the state laws do not violate Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools.

States Win Challenge Over School Sports Rules

However, the justices split 6-3 over whether the bans breached the US Constitution's 14th Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law. The court's six conservative justices concluded the restrictions were constitutional, while its three liberal members disagreed.

Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the Constitution and Title IX "do not require an overhaul of women's and girls' sports throughout America."

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing in partial dissent, criticised the ruling, saying the majority had adopted "a diminished view of equal protection" in cases involving school sports.

Challenges From Idaho and West Virginia

One of the cases was brought by Lindsay Hecox, a transgender woman and long-distance runner, shortly after Idaho enacted its law. She had previously secured injunctions from both a federal district court and an appeals court while the legal challenge continued.

At the time the legislation was passed, Idaho state lawmaker Barbara Ehardt, who introduced the measure, said it was intended to ensure that "boys and men will not be able to take the place of girls and women in sports because it's not fair".

A federal appeals panel had later ruled that Idaho failed to provide sufficient evidence that its law protected equal opportunities for female athletes, concluding that it violated constitutional rights. The Supreme Court's ruling overturns that outcome.

Supporters Welcome Decision, Campaigners Condemn It

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey welcomed the ruling, describing it as a victory for common sense that would give states "the clarity and confidence to ensure fairness and safety for female athletes today and for generations to come".

LGBT advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign strongly criticised the decision. Its president, Kelley Robinson, said the ruling was "heartbreaking for transgender student athletes who are being forced to sit on the sidelines simply for who they are".

President Donald Trump also praised the judgment, calling it a "BIG WIN" in a social media post. The participation of transgender athletes in women's sports was a prominent issue during his 2024 election campaign.

After returning to office, Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing transgender women from competing on female school and college sports teams. The NCAA, which governs US college athletics, subsequently barred transgender women from women's competitions.

Broader Debate Continues

Supporters of the restrictions argue that transgender women retain physical advantages over athletes recorded female at birth, making separate eligibility rules necessary to protect fairness in women's sport.

The International Olympic Committee said in March that, following an 18-month review of scientific evidence, it would restrict the women's category at the Olympic Games to biological females. The IOC said its working group found a "clear consensus" that male sex provides a performance advantage in sports that depend on strength, power and endurance.

Opponents of the bans argue the policies discriminate against transgender students and dispute claims that there is a scientific consensus showing transgender women and girls possess an inherent competitive advantage in all cases.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 1 July 2026

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"The US Supreme Court has ruled that states may ban transgender women from competing in female school and college sports, upholding laws that require athletes to compete according to their sex recorded at birth."

Well thanks goodness the Supreme Court has come on the side of common sense! Excellent news!

Haven't heard of women who have "become men" competing in men-only sports. Funny that.

Let transgenders only compete against other transgenders.

A country that nominates to the highest legal position in the land a person like Ms Jackson, who failed or refused in her confirmation hearing to define what a woman is and who completely lacks simple common sense, deserves whatever misfortunes descend upon it.

Quite fascinating that we need the SCOTUS to differentiate between male and female for the confused.

Good common sense prevails…..what troubles me is the overblown attention this obvious no brainer issue has received.Its also deeply troubling to me how this was used to distract and obscure issues that really needed attention not to mention how it was used to divide and inflame people.sad

9 minutes ago, Leopold Bloom said:

A country that nominates to the highest legal position in the land a person like Ms Jackson, who failed or refused in her confirmation hearing to define what a woman is and who completely lacks simple common sense, deserves whatever misfortunes descend upon it.

She was Joe Biden’s DEI. Her dissents are often comical. She once used the phrase, "I dissent. Full stop," in a dissent.

Anothe win fot Trump and common sense. This should be implemented by every country worldwide. People have had enough of those sporting cheats

In most countries they have sports segregation.

Male, Female.

The SCOTUS just announced a new league.

Other.

You can have different teams, of course.

The Dykes, Twinks, Fairies, Trannies, Toms, Lipstick Lesbians, etc

Everyone can play together in their own league.

It's the same principal, you've had a couple of pints and you go up to the lass who's getting ready to move to London to begin her international supermodel career and you say hello 🤗

She rolls her eyes and says nothing because you're out of her league.

C'mon mates

Can't we all get along 🤣

10 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Anothe win fot Trump and common sense. This should be implemented by every country worldwide. People have had enough of those sporting cheats

Firstly, we're talking about less than 2 dozen individuals in a country of nearly 350 millon people.

Secondly, there has not been any record or indication of trans athletes dominating over the gender in which they compete. "People have had enough of those sporting cheats"?

Are you seriously living your best life whinging on about an issue which has zero effect on your own life, and just babbling on about a completely baseless issue right-wing talking point that distracts from the housing crisis, cost of food, lack of jobs, and the country is at war over a completely unjust cause thanks to the United States of Israel.

Try doing a second of research on trans athletes "cheats" before you just make a fool of yourself further. But, clearly you can't, or won't, because facts and truths are utterly unimportant to you.

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

Haven't heard of women who have "become men" competing in men-only sports. Funny that.

It would be funny especially the contact sports, but for something like "shooting" i cant see the difference

Good.

No more men beating up women to appease the leftists.

No more men stealing medals from hard working women to appease the leftists.

No more pretending that women can compete against men to appease the leftists.

Let women compete against women where they have a fair level playing field.

1 hour ago, FlorC said:

Let transgenders only compete against other transgenders.

They can do whatever they like in their own time , just keep them out of normal women's sports , who wants to watch them anyway?

Two DNA genders. Male and Female. Each gender has a myriad of variations within their respective DNA group. Whether toilets , sports, legal unions, etc, allow the variations to participate within in their own Birth DNA gender group.

50 minutes ago, Leopold Bloom said:

A country that nominates to the highest legal position in the land a person like Ms Jackson, who failed or refused in her confirmation hearing to define what a woman is and who completely lacks simple common sense, deserves whatever misfortunes descend upon it.

Glad to note you have the knowledge background that takes into consideration all anomalies in sexual determination. Like Justice Jackson, I would be unable to define for I do not have the science based knowledge.

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Good. No more men beating up women to appease the leftists.

I'm trying to understand your moral values here...

Are you saying that when a trans woman (what you call a 'man') is defeated in a boxing match by a woman

In other words, when a woman beats up a man that somehow appeases the rightists...?!?

Is that supposed to be good or bad?

Your logic is quite complicated like a German pretzel 😁

14 minutes ago, Cat Boy said:

Firstly, we're talking about less than 2 dozen individuals in a country of nearly 350 millon people.

if there is so few then simply ban them from sports who really cares anyway?

16 minutes ago, Cat Boy said:

just babbling on about a completely baseless issue right-wing talking point that distracts from the housing crisis, cost of food, lack of jobs, and the country is at war over a completely unjust cause thanks to the United States of Israel.

You are correct , nobody should be wasting time on this ridiculous subject, as I said above simply ban them from mainstream sports, the world will not stop turning, everybody can move on and concentrate on more pressing issues,

Ok. so 2 dozen of them will be a bit upset oh dear , what a pity , never mind as the song says "you can't always get what you want"

3 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

I'm trying to understand your moral values here...

Are you saying that when a trans woman (what you call a 'man') is defeated in a boxing match by a woman

In other words, when a woman beats up a man that somehow appeases the rightists...?!?

Is that supposed to be good or bad?

Your logic is quite complicated like a German pretzel 😁

Men shouldn't compete against women in sport.

Its so simple even you could understand it.

23 minutes ago, Cat Boy said:

there has not been any record or indication of trans athletes dominating over the gender in which they compete.

You might want to look up "Lia Thomas" on Wikipedia.

9 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Good.

No more men beating up women to appease the leftists.

No more men stealing medals from hard working women to appease the leftists.

No more pretending that women can compete against men to appease the leftists.

Let women compete against women where they have a fair level playing field.

Apparently LDS no longer stands for just [The Church of Jesus Christ of the] Latter-day Saints, but now you've demonstrated the latest variant pathology, "Leftist Delusion Syndrome".

Good luck with that here in LOS, The Land of Smiles.

Sort of like a belly button. If you are born with an outie, genitalia tool and balls outside the body, guess what no matter what bathroom or sport you enter as a male. Innies, you look down there and nothing, female.

6 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Men shouldn't compete against women in sport.

Its so simple even you could understand it.

You avoided answering my question

When a woman beats up a trans man|woman, is that good or bad? 😀

They both sign legal consent contracts before the fight. They fight of their own free will. You call this a sport. I call it a crime scene.

So answer my question if you have such moral clarity.

5 minutes ago, Cat Boy said:

Apparently LDS no longer stands for just [The Church of Jesus Christ of the] Latter-day Saints, but now you've demonstrated the latest variant pathology, "Leftist Delusion Syndrome".

Good luck with that here in LOS, The Land of Smiles.

All leftists are delusional , their entire philosophy is contrary to nature, and as such is unsustainable, That's why the "right" have to take charge regularly, to get things back on a level heading, The leftists appreciate this and fully understand how necessary it is, but rather than openly admit it they ensure their own survival by fielding incredibly weak candidates like Harris, for example

10 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

You avoided answering my question

When a woman beats up a trans man|woman, is that good or bad? 😀

They both sign legal consent contracts before the fight. They fight of their own free will. You call this a sport. I call it a crime scene.

So answer my question if you have such moral clarity.

It obviously not right either, A man ,saturated with female hormones ,and whatever else , should not be allowed anywhere near a boxing ring, god only knows what effect these drugs can have on the human body. Didn't they used to have "drug tests" haven't people been disqualified for simply taking over the counter cold remedies ?

Signing a piece of paper means nothing it is not always possible to consent to something

Moral clarity (whatever that actually means) has nothing to do with it

using the phrase "beat up" in connection with the sport of boxing shows you have no idea what you are talking about

18 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

You avoided answering my question

When a woman beats up a trans man|woman, is that good or bad? 😀

They both sign legal consent contracts before the fight. They fight of their own free will. You call this a sport. I call it a crime scene.

So answer my question if you have such moral clarity.

Since females are ~30% weaker than males, then males should only be allowed to compete against females that are ~30% heavier, taller and stronger than the males. What would be fun to see under this model is a team of bull dykes competing against a team of pansy fairies.

3 minutes ago, novacova said:

Since females are ~30% weaker than males, then males should only be allowed to compete against females that are ~30% heavier, taller and stronger than the males. What would be fun to see under this model is a team of bull dykes competing against a team of pansy fairies.

Brilliant comment and what a fantastic Idea for a reality TV series My money would be on the Bull dykes

1 hour ago, Cat Boy said:

Apparently LDS no longer stands for just [The Church of Jesus Christ of the] Latter-day Saints, but now you've demonstrated the latest variant pathology, "Leftist Delusion Syndrome".

Good luck with that here in LOS, The Land of Smiles.

That's why I love it here. Thais are famously nationalistic and patriotic. Fair play to them.

Wokeism isnt really a thing here. No PC nonsense.

The only time I have to suffer limp, weak, western liberals is when some weirdo tries to speak to me in a bar. Or on here.

Marvellous.

IMO, they should let anyone participate in the category of teams they identify with. But....

...if they are banning trans people from sports teams, I think they should now have four categories of teams:

• Women

• Trans-males

• Males

• Trans-women

And then they should have rules forbidding anyone in one of these categories from competing in any other category.

That would mean only males could participate in male sports. No females, as are allowed now.

1 hour ago, SiSePuede419 said:

When a woman beats up a trans man|woman, is that good or bad?

They should not be competing. A woman occasionally winning against a bloke in a dress doesn't change that.

If a 14 year old Mike Tyson or Moses Itauma beat a grown man in boxing once, would that mean we abandon age categories and let adult men dress up as kids and fight in junior boxing events to beat up children? Of course not. 😃

It's so simple even you could understand it.

Or so I thought...