RICHMOND, VA—Today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in West Virginia v. B.P .J. and Little v. Hecox, upholding state laws banning transgender girls and women from school athletic teams but stopping short of requiring states to ban trans athletes or rolling back other protections for trans students.
Narissa Rahaman, Executive Director at Equality Virginia, released the following statement in response: “The Supreme Court has failed our community again. Transgender athletes want to participate in school sports for the same reason as anybody else: to find a sense of belonging, be part of a team, and to challenge themselves. They deserve to do so free from discrimination and stigma.
“Let’s be clear, transgender and nonbinary students are protected under Virginia law and we will work to keep it that way. To the transgender young people watching this decision unfold: you belong on your team, in your school, in your community, and here in Virginia. This ruling does not change that. A single Supreme Court decision cannot define your worth or your future.
“Equality Virginia will continue to advocate for policies that affirm every transgender young person’s right to live authentically at home, at school and in their communities. We urge Governor Spanberger to defend transgender and nonbinary youth in Virginia from bullies and stand up to federal attacks by rescinding Youngkin’s 2023 model policies and demanding the Virginia High School League reinstate their affirming policies which had been in place since 2014. Our community is waiting for the Governor to be a leader.
“We will keep showing up for trans young people in Virginia, on the field, in the classroom, and in the General Assembly.”
What today’s decision means:
- The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in West Virginia v. B.P .J. and Little v. Hecox that Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause permit states to bar transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s school sports teams.
- The decision reverses a Fourth Circuit ruling that had sided with B.P.J., a West Virginia teenager who has played on her school’s girls’ track and cross country team for the past three years.
- The decision applies narrowly to athletic eligibility under Title IX and equal protection; it does not resolve broader questions about transgender students’ rights in other school contexts, which the Court explicitly declined to address.
- Virginia has no statewide statute banning transgender students from school sports, but we anticipate this ruling will embolden legislators to push for one in the upcoming session.
- This is part of a pattern of recent decisions, including Skrmetti on gender-affirming care and Mahmoud on opt-outs from inclusive curriculum, that have narrowed protections for transgender young people nationally. Virginia’s legal landscape will be increasingly shaped by what happens in Richmond, not just Washington.
What we’re doing:
Equality Virginia will closely track any legislative response in the 2027 General Assembly session, continue supporting local school boards that maintain inclusive policies, and stand with every transgender Virginian who simply wants the chance to play.
Media Contact:
Reed Williams
Communications Director
Equality Virginia