An Idaho law barring women and girls who are intersex or transgender from participating in women’s sports is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 2020, Idaho lawmakers banned trans females from sports teams that aligned with their gender identity. The law was immediately challenged and put on hold. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Idaho's Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.
Idaho was the first state to regulate athletics and transgender participation in sports.
Now, Attorney General Raúl Labrador and the conservative legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a press release Thursday afternoon, Labrador said “activists have been pushing a radical social agenda that sidelines women and girls in their own sports.”
We are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Idaho’s law and ensure that women and girls get the athletic opportunities they deserve.https://t.co/NVzBng5Ykc
— Raúl R. Labrador (@Raul_Labrador) July 11, 2024
He said the ruling puts women and girls’ access to athletic opportunities and scholarships at risk.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho said in a statement quote, “we’ll gladly make the case to the Court that they should leave the Ninth Circuit’s thorough opinion in place.”
The ACLU said the ban is designed to alienate transgender people and weaken their protections, which could lead to further restrictions and discrimination.
