Former First Lady Melania Trump shared a statement on Tuesday, referencing her bestselling memoir following a Supreme Court decision that permits states to restrict participation in women's and girls' athletic teams to biological females. She indicated that this ruling aligns with a position she has consistently maintained.
In a post on X, Mrs. Trump highlighted a specific section from her book, "Melania," which was published several months before the Supreme Court's significant 6-3 judgment. The court's decision affirmed that states possess the authority to determine eligibility for women's and girls' sports based on biological sex, in accordance with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause.
"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," the former first lady wrote on X, directing readers to page 156 of her autobiography. She continued, "The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion: ‘Under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, may schools maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females? ... The answer is yes.’"
Mrs. Trump concluded her statement by adding, "America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes. Respect everyone and keep girls' sports fair. Both ideals are essential."
Supreme Court Upholds State Laws
Mrs. Trump's comments were made just hours after the Supreme Court established a new national precedent, granting states the right to maintain women's and girls' sports teams exclusively for biological females.
In the combined cases of West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, the high court ruled 6-3 in favor of West Virginia and Idaho. This decision upholds state legislation that mandates student-athletes participate on teams corresponding to their biological sex at birth, rather than their gender identity.
The majority opinion, delivered by the court, stated: "Consistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the States may maintain women's and girls' sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women's and girls' sports based on biological sex."
This ruling represents a significant triumph for proponents of what are known as "Save Women's Sports" laws, validating similar legislation that has been enacted in 27 states in recent years. Furthermore, the decision removes the legal ambiguity that previously surrounded these laws as the cases progressed through the judicial system, allowing states to continue their enforcement.
Judicial Dissents and State Reactions
Justice Sonia Sotomayor submitted an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey commended the ruling, describing it as "a monumental victory for every female athlete who has ever competed, or dreamed of competing, on a fair and safe playing field."
Similarly, Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador lauded the decision, asserting that it confirmed the authority of states to "preserve fair competition and protect the opportunities that generations of women fought to secure."
The core of these legal challenges involved West Virginia's Save Women's Sports Act and Idaho's Fairness in Women's Sports Act, both of which had faced injunctions following lawsuits initiated by transgender athletes.
