WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a 12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia to continue competing on her middle school’s girls sports teams while a lawsuit over a state ban continues.The justices refused to disturb an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s track and cross-country teams, where she regularly finishes near the back of the pack.Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed West Virginia to enforce its law against Pepper-Jackson.Pepper-Jackson is in the middle of the outdoor track season.
She had filed a lawsuit challenging the law, the Save Women’s Sports Act, which West Virginia lawmakers adopted in 2021. A federal appeals court had allowed her to compete while she appealed a lower court ruling that upheld the West Virginia law.In a proclamation, Gov.
Ron DeSantis declared a Sarasota woman to be the "real" winner of a 500-meter freestyle event held last week.The high court announcement came the same day the Biden administration proposed a new rule that would prevent schools and colleges from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes, but would allow certain exceptions to promote fairness or reduce injuries.Two weeks ago, track and field banned transgender athletes from international competitions.
West Virginia is among 20 states that ban transgender athletes from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank.West Virginia Gov.