Doe v. Horne
Megan Roe and Jane Doe are 11- and 15-year-old girls who want to try out for their schools’ girls’ volleyball, soccer, and cross-country teams. But a new Arizona law would prevent them from doing so because they are transgender. They challenged the law in court, and Public Justice joined an amicus brief in support of their appeal.
Arizona’s law was one of almost five hundred bills introduced in recent years that aim to reduce the rights of transgender people in the United States. These laws include multiple bans on transgender students’ participation in sports teams matching their gender identity. These bans are opposed by many women athletes, women’s sports organizations, and medical experts.
The National Center for Lesbian Rights and two law firm partners sued Arizona on Megan and Jane’s behalf. In July 2023, the district court entered an order blocking the law. It found that the ban likely violates the Equal Protection Clause and Title IX because it discriminates based on sex and transgender status.
Arizona has appealed to the Ninth Circuit. Public Justice joined an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs Megan and Jane, arguing that Arizona’s ban unlawfully deprives transgender students of important educational benefits and perpetuates harmful sex stereotypes. The brief was filed by the National Women’s Law Center and Public Justice member firm Hogan Lovells, and signed by 32 other organizations. We await the Ninth Circuit’s decision.
