With the U.S. Supreme Court set to rule on two cases focused on the issue of biological males in women’s sports, hundreds of prominent figures in sports and politics have publicly taken a side.
At least 77 amicus briefs have been filed for the upcoming SCOTUS review, some in support of the trans athlete plaintiffs and some in support of the “save women’s sports” defendants. Famed athletes, coaches, U.S. lawmakers, and other state and federal government officials have signed onto those briefs, declaring their allegiance in the historic legal battle.
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Here’s a breakdown of who is on which side:
Idaho and West Virginia are among almost 30 states with laws preventing transgender students who identify as female from competing on girls’ sports teams sponsored by public schools and colleges. In 2020 and 2021, the trans athlete plaintiffs successfully challenged the laws in Idaho and West Virginia, respectively, to enable their participation on women’s and girls’ sports teams.
Both trans athletes are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
The justices will examine whether the landmark federal law, Title IX forbidding sex discrimination in education, applies in these inclusion cases.
Idaho in 2020 became the first state to pass such restrictions with the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.
Both sides in the legal dispute have accused the other of peddling false and misleading facts, terminology and narratives about enforcement of the state laws, and the stakes for both transgender and cisgender athletes.
The Supreme Court in July agreed to hear the separate appeals from the states and is expected to issue final, binding rulings on the merits by late June.
“Idaho’s women and girls deserve an equal playing field,” said Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, who is expected to argue the case in Tuesday’s public session. “For too long, activists have worked to sideline women and girls in their own sports.”
States with such laws, and groups and lawmakers supporting them, say the issue is about common sense and student safety.
Lawyers will tell the high court there are inherent physical differences between females and males, and these legislative acts would ensure those they call “male” or “boy” students cannot compete on girls’ sports teams involving competitive skill or contact.
But LGBTQ+ rights supporters say such laws and labels are clearly discriminatory, and were never a big issue until some states sought to politicize them.
Meanwhile, two West Virginia female students and their families came forward with the allegations against one of the trans plaintiffs ahead of oral arguments for the case next week. Fox News Digital is not disclosing the name of the trans athlete because the individual is a minor.
Bridgeport High School female student Adaleia Cross, who is a former track and field teammate of the trans athlete when the two were at Bridgeport Middle School, alleges the trans athlete made comments to her that constituted sexual harassment in the girls’ locker room. Cross, who is one year older than the trans athlete, said she quit the track and field team at Bridgeport High School last year as a sophomore to avoid sharing a locker room again with the trans athlete once that athlete reached high school.
Cross’ mother, Abby, told Fox News Digital what the trans athlete allegedly said to her daughter when they shared the girls’ locker room during the 2022-23 school year. Adaleia was in eighth grade, and the trans athlete was in seventh.
Abby Cross alleged that the trans athlete made extremely graphic and vulgar sexual threats to her daughter and other girls on the team.
The ACLU has responded to the Cross family’s allegations.
“Our client and her mother deny these allegations and the school district investigated the allegations reported to the school by A.C. and found them to be unsubstantiated. We remain committed to defending the rights of all students under Title IX, including the right to a safe and inclusive learning environment free from harassment and discrimination,” read an ACLU statement provided to Fox News Digital.
The Cross family’s attorneys at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) have responded to the ACLU’s statement.
“Our client has sworn under oath and under penalty of perjury in numerous cases about the events that took place between her and the male athlete. As a result of the situation, [Cross] had to step away from the sport she loved entirely and sacrifice a key element of her school experience to protect herself,” read an ADF statement provided to Fox News Digital.
ADF is also representing the state of West Virginia against the trans athlete in the case that is set to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
Former Lincoln Middle School girls’ track and field runner Emmy Salerno alleges the trans athlete used “intimidation tactics” against her after Salerno refused to compete against the trans athlete during an event in the 2024 spring season.
“After we stepped out, it was an immediate personality change. He didn’t want to talk to me. He just wanted to stare at me, and just stare down,” Salerno told Fox News Digital.
Salerno said there was an incident where the trans athlete followed her while they were at a local basketball game, making intimidating stares, and Salerno was concerned the trans athlete would try to “fight” her.
“At the basketball game when he just followed me everywhere, I kind of felt like, ‘Is he going to try to fight me?’” Salerno said. “‘Is he going to try and sneak up behind me and punch me?'”
The ACLU has not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for a response to Salerno’s allegations.
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