FAQ: What does the Supreme Court ruling mean for t...
Key takeaways
- "The Court concludes that separate sports teams for biological males and biological females are reasonable given the inherent physical differences between the sexes," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the opinion.
- All nine justices agreed that the Idaho and West Virginia laws that were argued in front of the court on Jan. 13 do not violate Title IX.
- "This litigation implicates deeply sensitive, contentious, and evolving issues," Sotomayor wrote.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The Supreme Court ruled states are within their legal rights to ban transgender women and girls from women's and girls' sports. JIM LO SCALZO/EPA/Shutterstock Katie Barnes Jun 30, 2026, 07:17 PM ETClose Katie Barnes is a writer/reporter for ESPN.com. Follow them on Twitter at Katie_Barnes3.Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that states can lawfully prevent transgender girls and women from competing in girls' and women's school sports.
"The Court concludes that separate sports teams for biological males and biological females are reasonable given the inherent physical differences between the sexes," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in the opinion. "In assessing the reasonableness of the regulations, the Court must recognize the distinctiveness of competitive sports -- and the safety and competitive fairness issues that can arise when females are forced to compete against males."
All nine justices agreed that the Idaho and West Virginia laws that were argued in front of the court on Jan. 13 do not violate Title IX. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented on the constitutional question about the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause specifically presented in the West Virginia case.