Supreme Court's ruling on transgender athletes unlikely to change California policy

Steve Fryer, The Orange County Register on Jun 30, 2026

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The ruling by the United States Supreme Court on Tuesday that permits states to place competition restrictions on transgender athletes isn’t expected to have an immediate impact on high school sports in California.

The Supreme Court’s decision, by a 6-3 vote, upholds laws in Idaho and West Virginia that ban transgender student-athletes from being on female sports teams or competing in female sports competitions. The decision allows states to keep transgender athletes from participating on female teams but does not require it.

California and 22 other states let transgender students play on teams that align with their gender identity.

The issue has come up in recent years in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the governing and administrative body of high school sports in California. Most visibly it has happened in track and field. AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete who was a senior at Jurupa Valley High in Riverside County this past school year, won the high jump and the triple jump at the CIF State Championships in May.

CIF spokesperson Rebecca Brutlag said Tuesday that the organization would not comment on the Supreme Court ruling because of ongoing litigation on the topic.

The United States Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in 2025 against CIF and the California Department of Education. The lawsuit asserts that allowing transgender athletes to compete against biological females limits girls’ opportunities for championships and access to college athletic scholarships.

Tony Hoang, executive director of the LGBTQ advocacy group Equality California, said in a statement Tuesday: “Today’s decision is heartbreaking for transgender student athletes and their families. No child should be denied the opportunity to learn, grow, and be part of a team simply because of who they are. At the same time, the Court did not give states or schools a blank check to discriminate against transgender people in every aspect of their lives.

“Even with this ruling, schools and states like California can continue to adopt inclusive policies that ensure every student is treated with dignity and respect.”

Sonja Shaw, a Chino Valley Unified school board member who is running for state superintendent, posted on her Facebook page: “WE WON. The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a huge victory for girls and common sense. We’ve been on the front lines fighting this battle in California because our daughters deserve fair competition, privacy, safety, and equal opportunity. This fight isn’t over, but today we celebrate. Tomorrow, we keep fighting until every girl is protected.”

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