October Term 2025 · Docket 24-43
Can West Virginia Keep Transgender Girls Off Girls' School Sports Teams?
The state's law bars students assigned male at birth from girls' school sports. A student challenged it, and the Supreme Court must decide how the dispute should be resolved.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion was verified.
- — An official Court opinion was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
The state's lawyer argued that maintaining separate boys' and girls' teams protects girls' safety and fair competition.
The student's lawyer argued the law's exclusion conflicts with protections for individuals under Title IX's text.
Both sides urged the Court to resolve the two claims in the case in their favor.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 23-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 23-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 7-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 7-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 79, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 79, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 80, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 82, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 82, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 82, lines 25-41 — Transcript, file page 82, lines 25-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 84, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 84, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-49
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case is West Virginia v. B. P. J. The state defends its law as a way to keep girls' sports safe and fair. The student says the law excludes her from teams based on who she is.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
How the case got here
Lower courts have weighed the state's law and the student's challenge. The Supreme Court heard the dispute after those rulings.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 7-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 7-37
What each side wants
West Virginia wants the Court to uphold its law. It argues states have long assigned sports teams by sex and that separate teams let girls compete safely and fairly.
B. P. J. wants the law struck down. She says she joined school sports as an eleven-year-old girl starting a new middle school who wanted friends and teammates.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
What each side says
The state's lawyer focused on what he called the easiest ways to resolve both claims in the case.
The student's lawyer pointed to a tension between Title IX's text, which protects individuals, and regulations that allow some group-based measurements.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
What the justices asked
Justice Gorsuch pressed why a point was missing from a brief, saying he knew what the Court had said and wondered about what it had not said.
Justice Jackson asked whether the Spending Clause's notice requirement has ever applied outside damages claims, calling that a possible crux of that approach here. She also asked who the relevant contract is between, noting schools, not the state, are the regulated party here.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 49-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 49-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 23-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 23-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 7-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 7-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 47-51 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 47-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 78, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 79, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 79, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 80, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 82, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 82, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 82, lines 25-41 — Transcript, file page 82, lines 25-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 84, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 84, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-49
Why it matters
Justice Thomas asked how the challenge squares with Title IX's continued existence. The justices' questions tested both sides' arguments.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
What the Court decided
Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause both permit schools to keep women's and girls' sports teams limited to biological females, meaning students whose sex is determined by biology. The laws in West Virginia and Idaho are therefore constitutional and lawful.
The Supreme Court reversed the lower courts' rulings and remanded the cases for further proceedings consistent with its decision.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Opinion — file page 2, lines 1-1 — Opinion, file page 2, lines 1-1
- Official Supreme Court Opinion — file page 5, lines 1-1 — Opinion, file page 5, lines 1-1
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 101, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 101, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 39-49 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 39-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-55 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-55
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Removed an unsupported statement that the Court had not ruled; the available source set did not establish that absence.
- Revision 3 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Corrected unsupported no-ruling language and clarified that the article's disposition summary is incomplete.
- Revision 4 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Added the holding and disposition from the verified official Court opinion.
- Revision 5 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.