"WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams. Lower courts ruled for the transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia who challenged the state bans, but the conservative-dominated Supreme Court might not follow suit. In just the past year, the justices ruled in favor state bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youths and allowed multiple restrictions on transgender people to be enforced."
"Becky Pepper-Jackson, a 15-year-old high school sophomore, has been taking puberty-blocking medication, publicly identified as a girl since age 8 and has been issued a West Virginia birth certificate recognizing her as female. She is the only transgender person who has sought to compete in girls' sports in West Virginia. Pepper-Jackson has progressed from a back-of-the-pack cross-country runner in middle school to a statewide third-place finish in the discus in just her first year of high school."
The Supreme Court is hearing challenges to state laws that bar transgender girls and women from participating on female school athletic teams. Lower courts ruled for transgender athletes in Idaho and West Virginia, while the conservative-leaning Court may reach a different outcome. Recent rulings have permitted state bans on gender-affirming care for youth and other restrictions on transgender people. The cases arise amid federal actions targeting transgender rights, including military exclusion and declarations that gender is immutable at birth. The Court is balancing sex discrimination claims from transgender plaintiffs against states' arguments about fair competition. Two named plaintiffs are Lindsay Hecox and Becky Pepper-Jackson.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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