The U.S. Supreme Court upholds state laws that restrict transgender athletes from participating on girls’ and women’s sports teams. The decision is handed down in two cases involving West Virginia and Idaho, including West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox. The Court rules 6–3 that the laws do not violate the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and do not conflict with federal Title IX. Multiple outlets report that the majority concludes Title IX is understood to contemplate separate sports teams for boys and girls based on sex assigned at birth, and that the state bans are therefore consistent with that framework.

Coverage also notes that the Court’s reasoning is split across different legal questions: NPR and other sources describe unanimity on the Title IX analysis, while the New Yorker and TIME report that the equal-protection question is decided by a 6–3 margin. The ruling applies to similar bans already in place across many states, with sources reporting figures in the mid-to-high twenties. After the decision, transgender youth athletes and advocates vow to continue participating and challenging the restrictions in future legal efforts.