FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 20, 2026
Contact:
K Richardson, Transgender Law Center, Communications Manager, [email protected]
Celina Fernando, GSA Network, Communications Manager, [email protected]
NATIONAL – One week ago in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Chicago, and other cities, transgender youth, their families, and supporters organized and gathered in response to Tuesday’s Supreme Court oral arguments on West Virginia v. BPJ and Hecox v. Little.
While the Supreme Court considered whether federal law allows states to make laws that prohibit transgender girls and women from playing on girls’ and women’s scholastic sports teams, parents rallied outside and voiced their unequivocal support for their children.
“To transgender children: you belong in sports, you belong in schools, and you belong in public life. Most of all, you deserve not only to play, but to win,” said Erin J., a parent of a trans youth. A poll released by the Movement Advancement Project earlier this year estimated that 400,000 transgender people have left states that limit their freedom since the 2024 election.
Since President Trump took office, parents have faced a litany of challenges, including loss of access to public services, higher healthcare costs, and the threat of family separation from immigration enforcement. For parents of trans youth, the future now requires waiting to hear whether the Supreme Court will further bully their children and limit their ability to dream for themselves.
In analyzing oral arguments, Heron Greenesmith, Deputy Director of Policy at Transgender Law Center, noted that, “The oral arguments were a textbook look at how the Trump Administration and the right-wing base are weaponizing civil rights law to enact discrimination, rather than protect people from discrimination.”
Across this country, these rallies and community events send a clear message that regardless of what is decided in June, transgender athletes and youth have broad support among people of all races, genders, and backgrounds.
“Keep showing up, keep speaking out. Making change starts with speeches, so start writing and don’t stop until we get the change we deserve,” said Jonesy Jr., a youth leader with GSA Network’s National Trans Youth Council. “Together, we have always and will always win. We have a right to grow up. We have the right to grow up as just kids.”
This week, GSA Network fought for trans youth at the steps of the Supreme Court. Today, and every day that follows, we continue our fight for their right to exist, belong, and self-determine their futures. We remain committed to building safer communities that ensure all youth, especially trans youth, have the right to thrive in schools, on the courts, and across all aspects of public life. No matter the decision that awaits us in June, our right to be free and our freedom to win will never be defined by the courts.
GSA Network has created a comprehensive and powerful eight-page zine on the BPJ and Hecox Supreme Court cases. It explains what’s at stake, why these cases matter right now, and how you can take action by contributing to our story-banking efforts. Check it out here: Together We Win: Fight for the T in Team
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