First Lady Melania Trump voiced support Tuesday for a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing states to limit participation in women’s and girls’ school sports to biological females, saying the ruling reflects a position she has publicly expressed before.
In a post on X, the first lady referenced a passage from her memoir, Melania, highlighting her views on balancing protections for female athletes with respect for the LGBTQIA+ community.
“As many of you may know, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community. But we must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected,” Trump wrote, directing readers to a section of her memoir discussing the issue.
She also cited the Supreme Court’s ruling, which held that states may establish eligibility requirements for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
“America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes,” Trump wrote. “Respect everyone and keep girls’ sports fair. Both ideals are essential.”
The Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision establishes a nationwide precedent permitting states to maintain separate athletic teams for biological females in school sports. The ruling concluded that states have the authority to determine eligibility standards for participation in women’s and girls’ athletic competitions.
Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh stated that biological differences between males and females—including differences in height, weight, strength, speed, endurance, and jumping ability—can affect athletic competition. The opinion argued that these differences may create safety concerns in contact sports and could undermine competitive fairness if biological males compete in female athletic categories.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson also issued separate opinions addressing portions of the Court’s ruling.
The legal challenges originated from cases in Idaho and West Virginia involving transgender students seeking to compete on girls’ sports teams. In Idaho, transgender athlete Lindsay Hecox challenged the state’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act after attempting to join the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University. In West Virginia, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of a transgender high school student identified in court records as B.P.J., who has competed in school track and cross-country events after receiving gender-affirming medical treatment.
The plaintiffs were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Cooley LLP, while Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) defended the state laws.
The ruling comes amid an ongoing national debate over transgender participation in school athletics. More than half of U.S. states have enacted laws restricting participation in women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex, while others continue to permit transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity.
The decision is expected to influence future legal challenges and state policies concerning school athletics across the country.
