Appeals Court Blocks Idaho Ban on Transgender Youth Athletes

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction against an Idaho law barring transgender athletes from participating in student athletics. The court found the law likely violates the rights of transgender students under the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Citing United States v. Virginia, 518 U.S. 515, 555 (1996), and Karnoski v. Trump, 926 F.3d 1180, 1200–01 (9th Cir. 2019), the panel stated that “a heightened level of scrutiny applies to laws that discrimi