Which states have trans athlete bans for students? What to know
From Alaska to Texas, dozens of states have banned transgender athletes from competing in sports outside of their sex assigned at birth. The U.S. Supreme Court is considering challenges.
At least half of the states in the nation have bans on transgender students competing in sports according to their gender identity, a USA TODAY review of state laws and policy documents found.
The regulations span the entire nation, from Alaska, where the lieutenant governor in 2023 signed a memorandum limiting participation in girls’ sports to students "assigned female at birth," to Texas, where two separate laws on the books limit participation in sports based on "biological sex."
The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 13 heard oral arguments in a case regarding bans in Idaho and West Virginia. Justices at the court in Washington, D.C., appeared skeptical of challenges to the rules brought by transgender students in the two states.
Idaho’s law barring transgender students from competing in sports outside their sex assigned at birth is the oldest in the country, according to a USA TODAY review. The Fairness in Women’s Sports Act limited participation in sports in public schools based on "biological sex." The bill argues men and women have "inherent" biological differences "important for success in sports."
The students involved in the case before the Supreme Court argued the laws violate their rights and don’t account for individual health circumstances, such as taking puberty blockers or other gender affirming care.
Since Idaho enacted its law in 2020, at least 28 other states have followed suit with bans of their own. Many of the states that have enacted legislation limiting the participation of transgender students in sports are Republican-leaning.
Here’s a look at the states where there are bans on transgender students competing in sports outside their assigned sex at birth.