the U.S. Supreme Court heard landmark oral arguments regarding state laws in West Virginia and Idaho that ban transgender girls and women from competing in female sports. The court’s conservative supermajority appeared sympathetic to the bans, with several justices expressing skepticism toward the arguments that these policies violate the Equal Protection Clause or Title IX. Civil rights advocates warn that a broad ruling in favor of the states could dismantle wider LGBTQ+ protections, potentially affecting access to bathrooms and the use of preferred pronouns in schools.
Date: January 12, 2026. Source: theguardian.com