Implementation of anti-transgender state legal guidelines, equivalent to these in these circumstances, have been proven to enhance suicide makes an attempt amongst transgender and nonbinary youth
January 13, 2026 – Today, The Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, two circumstances that heart on challenges introduced by transgender college students towards state legal guidelines that prohibit transgender ladies and women from enjoying on faculty sports activities groups that match their gender id.
The Trevor Project’s CEO, Jaymes Black, launched the next assertion in response:
“Like all younger individuals on this nation, transgender youth deserve the chance to play sports activities at college, if they need to. Fewer than one in three adults within the United States say they personally know somebody who’s transgender, so it’s comprehensible to have questions on transgender individuals and matters, together with participation in sports activities. However, denying all transgender college students the flexibility to play sports activities with their classmates and mates is unacceptable – and it solely serves to ship a message to trans youth that they don’t belong.
“These one-size fits-all bans deal with each sport, age group, and degree of competitors the identical, and they’re largely primarily based on stereotypes and misinformation. The hurt they trigger is actual; in states the place anti-transgender legal guidelines – like these on the heart of those circumstances – had been enacted, transgender and nonbinary youth reported up to a 72% increase in past-year suicide attempts, in contrast to these dwelling in states with out such legal guidelines.
“Thoughtful discussion about rules and regulations to ensure safety and fairness is one thing, but banning an entire group of young people from any participation whatsoever is discrimination, plain and simple. These bans are not about fairness or safety; they are about isolating and rejecting transgender and nonbinary youth for political gain. We urge the Supreme Court justices to reject these sweeping bans. No matter what they decide, The Trevor Project will continue fighting for a world where transgender and nonbinary youth feel safe, seen, and accepted exactly as they are.”
Relevant analysis:
- Less than one in three LGBTQ younger individuals reported taking part in sports activities, with many citing anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, or concern of discrimination, as limitations.
- LGBTQ youth who participated in sports activities reported nearly 20% lower rates of depressive signs in contrast to those that didn’t.
- A 2022 peer-reviewed study discovered that many transgender highschool women who reported an curiosity in enjoying sports activities cited considerations round harassment, stigma, and gendered areas.
- According to The Trevor Project’s polling, 86% of transgender and nonbinary youth say latest debates about state legal guidelines limiting the rights of transgender individuals have negatively impacted their psychological well being.
- When requested about new insurance policies that will ban transgender women from enjoying on women’ sports activities groups and transgender boys from enjoying on boys’ sports activities groups, 64% of transgender and nonbinary youth stated it made them really feel indignant, 44% felt unhappy, 39% felt pressured, and 1 in 4 felt scared.
If you or somebody you realize wants assist or help, The Trevor Project’s educated disaster counselors can be found 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386, by way of chat at TheTrevorProject.org, or by texting START to 678678.