The court’s decision could affect similar laws in more than half the country. • In one of the more remarkable moments from the arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts quickly sought to distinguish the sports cases from a 2020 precedent that protects gay and transgender employees from workplace discrimination. By doing so, he eviscerated a central argument that had been raised by the American Civil Liberties Union and other lawyers challenging the bans. • Throughout the arguments, the justices similarly wrestled with the question of whether transgender girls who have taken hormone therapy really have some inherent advantage in sports just because they were born male. • Attorneys for the transgender students urged the justices to send the cases back down to lower courts for a more thorough factual record to be developed – particularly on the question of whether transgender girls have some inherent advantages on girls teams.

Source: CNN January 13, 2026 23:06 UTC