TAMPA, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld state bans on transgender women and girls from participating in girls' and women's sports teams in schools.
The court's conservative majority decided that state bans, passed in Idaho in 2020 and West Virginia in 2021, do not violate the Constitution or Title IX, a federal law prohibiting discrimination in education based on gender.
WATCH: Reaction to Supreme Court's decision upholding bans on transgender athletes participating in women's sports
Jennifer Solomon is the parents and families support manager with Equality Florida. She said she is disappointed with the decision.
"Because it allows states to exclude transgender students from school sports through a blanket ban, and for us in Florida, not much is going to change because our state has already been under a ban since 2021," said Solomon.
In June of 2021, Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1028, creating the "Fairness in Women's Sports Act." At the time, he said it preserves fair opportunities for female athletes to demonstrate their strength, skills, and abilities in athletic competition.
The bill specifies that an athletic team or sport that is designated for females, women, or girls may not be open to students of the male sex, based on the student’s biological sex listed on the student’s official birth certificate at the time of birth.
Currently, 29 states have bans or statewide policies that do not allow transgender women or girls on women's sports teams.
"We know school sports are about confidence and teamwork and leadership and all those things, and all children deserve that opportunity," said Solomon.
Equality Florida launched a support and advocacy initiative serving families with LGBTQ+ children. Jennifer said they're serving 4,000 families.
"I hear from parents all the time really wanting to make sure that their children deserve the chance to be in an environment, whether it’s a school environment, whether it’s athletics, to learn and grow and participate alongside their peers without being singled out because of who they are," said Solomon.
"Every child deserves dignity and the opportunity to participate in school life," added Solomon.
Moms for Liberty said the decision delivers a major victory for female athletes and upholds the original intent of Title IX.
“Today, the Supreme Court stood for truth,” said Tina Descovich, CEO and co-founder of Moms for Liberty. “The highest court in the land has correctly identified what a woman is, and no amount of therapy or medical intervention can change that.”
“For too long, our daughters have been forced to compete against biological males in sports, share locker rooms and private spaces with them, and watch their opportunities stolen. This is a win for every girl who has trained for thousands of hours only to lose to a stronger male competitor. It is a win for every mother who refused to stay silent. At Moms for Liberty, standing for truth is our number one value. We will continue fighting to protect our daughters, because when we abandon truth, pain and injustice always follow.”
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