NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
The family of transgender athlete Becky Pepper-Jackson has filed a response in an upcoming Supreme Court battle over biological males in women’s sports.
The brief, filed by the athlete’s mother, Heather Jackson, claims that the West Virginia law that prohibits transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports violates Title IX.
Title IX does not explicitly protect the right of biologically male transgender people to identify as women. The current administration and West Virginia state government do not interpret Title IX to protect this right.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Heather Jackson’s memoir also describes her child’s character and his desire to play sports with girls.
“BPJ is a teenager from West Virginia who is “bright and kind.” She gets straight A’s and loves math and science. She also enjoys playing with her family dogs, biking, running and spending time with her friends,” the release said.
“BPJ wants to play sports for the same reasons most kids do: to have fun and make friends on a team. His experiences on sports teams have given him the opportunity to develop teamwork, confidence and friendship while cultivating his work ethic.
“She feels free and fully herself when she is on the field. Because participating on boys’ teams as a transgender girl would be isolating, stigmatizing, and publicly humiliating, and because co-ed teams in West Virginia are virtually nonexistent, girls’ teams are BPJ’s only real option for participating in her school’s sports program.”
LEGAL DEFENSE TO ‘SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS’ GAINED RIGHT TO MAKE ARGUMENTS TO SCOTUS AMID TRANS ATHLETES DISPUTE
The trans athlete released a statement through the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defending the right of athletes to compete with girls, and claimed that West Virginia’s law protecting women’s sports was “part of a plan to completely exclude transgender people like me from public life.”
“I play for my school for the same reasons as the other kids on my track and field team: to make friends, have fun and challenge myself through training and teamwork,” the 15-year-old said.
“And all I ever wanted was to have the same opportunities as my peers. Instead, my rights and my life were debated by politicians who have never met me but want to stop me from playing sports with my friends. I know this case is not just about me, or even just about sports.
“This is just part of a plan to completely exclude transgender people like me from public life. I’m proud to stand up alongside my mother for what I believe and who I am and I want other transgender children to know they are not alone.”
The West Virginia v. BPJ lawsuit is one of two cases involving trans inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports that will be heard by the Supreme Court, likely in early 2026.
The case, alongside Little v. Hecox in Idaho, focuses on whether states have the right to pass and enforce laws that prevent biological males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
The trans athlete in Little vs. Hecox, Lindsay Hecox, attempted to have this case dismissed even though she was the one who filed it in 2020.
Hecox initially filed a lawsuit in 2020 to block an Idaho state law, HB 500, which prohibits men from competing in women’s sports, in order to compete for the Boise State women’s cross country team. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in July, alongside a similar case in West Virginia involving a trans athlete, West Virginia v. BPJ.
Hecox then tried to have the lawsuits against Idaho and Gov. Brad Little dropped in September.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
However, a federal judge overturned Hecox’s attempt to dismiss the case, and the Supreme Court ruled that it would not decide whether to dismiss the case at least until the defendants presented their oral arguments.
