As a trans athlete, gender is the last thing I want to be thinking about when I’m on the field or out on a run. We deserve equal access to the formative experience sports have to offer all youth. – Keshet Youth Programs Participant 

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Today, with the West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court failed in its duty to protect the rights of Americans. The court’s decision to permit states to exclude some girls from participating in school sports, simply because they are trans, does not promote fairness or safety in girls’ and women’s sports. This ruling is part of a broader assault on bodily autonomy and the right to exist in society. LGBTQ+ people—and specifically transgender youth—are vital parts of our community. We unequivocally reject attempts to distract from real issues all Americans are facing by stoking fear in the interest of expanding power at the expense of trans people. 

To be clear, this ruling is not a nationwide ban on inclusive sports: states can still adopt inclusive policies around students in sports. And, we are furious for the trans youth athletes in our Keshet community and beyond who lost the right to play sports with their friends today. Having one’s existence and belonging in society debated itself is cruel and has no place in the world we are building. I am thinking of all the young people in our community who’ve been celebrating their full authentic selves this Pride Month, and how they must feel receiving news of this decision during what should be a joyous time.

As Jews, as LGBTQ+ people, and as allies, we refuse to let those in power systematically persecute and scapegoat a minority group in order to amass even greater control over our everyday lives. The truth is, banning transgender athletes does not protect anyone; in fact, doing so harms all women and girls, making them susceptible to cruel and invasive scrutiny, including medically unnecessary genital exams. We will never back down from creating a world where all transgender, nonbinary, and intersex people are valued and protected, and where all live with dignity, safety, and equal rights.

To athletes and students who are transgender, nonbinary, and intersex: Keshet affirms your right to play sports, use the bathroom, and live a life without being debated. We will never stop fighting for, with, and alongside you. We will keep showing up at our state houses advocating for equal rights. We will keep equipping Jewish schools, camps, JCCs, and more to be places of true equality and belonging. And we will keep offering spaces led by and for LGBTQ+ Jewish youth, where you can be your full, authentic selves. If you need any support, please reach out to us at [email protected] or refer to these additional resources.  

To our full Keshet community: we need you with us in this. Through your actions, we can ensure that trans, nonbinary, and intersex youth and adults know that they belong and are loved. Here is what you can do now:

• Share our message that “transgender people are a vital part of our communities” on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky with your networks.
• Educate yourself on Trans Misconceptions and Facts, why Trans Athletes Belong in Sports and  10 Things You and Your Community Can Do NOW for Trans Allyship. You have a key role to play in dispelling dangerous misinformation about sports bans and other anti-LGBTQ+ policies. 
• On this last day of Pride Month, a celebration that began because of the defiance and resilience of transgender women, support Keshet’s work of creating a world of trans and LGBTQ+ equality, belonging, and safety. 

Today, we are once more drawing strength from the words of Roi, a Keshet youth leader: “If we could be legislated away, could be made obsolete by hate and fear, this would have happened thousands of times before. But we are still here and fighting, and this is proof that nothing can take us away. I encourage you to rely on your community and let your community rely on you. We are always stronger together.”