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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, argues that West Virginia’s law banning 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 female. The current administration and state government of West Virginia do not interpret Title IX to protect that right.
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Heather Jackson’s report also notes her daughter’s character and desire to play sports with girls.
“BPJ is a teenager from West Virginia who is ‘smart and kind’. She gets ‘A’s and loves math and science. She also loves playing with her family’s dogs, riding her bike, running, and spending time with her friends,” the report reads.
“BPJ wants to play sports for the same reasons as most kids: to have fun and make friends as part of 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 to participate in her school’s sports program.”
LEGAL DEFENSE TO ‘SAVE WOMEN’S SPORTS’ GIVES RIGHT TO MAKE ARGUMENTS TO SCOTUS AMID TRANS ATHLETES DISPUTE
The trans athlete issued a statement through the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) defending an athlete’s right to compete with girls, and claimed that West Virginia’s law protecting women’s sports is “part of a plan to drive transgender people like me out of public life entirely.”
“I play for my school for the same reason other kids on my track team do: to make friends, have fun and challenge myself through practice and teamwork,” the 15-year-old said.
“And all I ever wanted was the same opportunities as my peers. Instead, my rights and my life have been debated by politicians who have never even met me but who want to prevent me from playing sports with my friends. I know that this case is not just about me, or even just about sports.
It’s just one part of a plan to completely expel transgender people like me from public life. “I am proud to stand up for what I believe and what I am with my mother and I want other transgender children to know that they are not alone.”
The West Virginia vs. BPJ lawsuit is one of two cases addressing trans inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports that will be heard by the Supreme Court, likely in early 2026.
The case, along with Little v. Hecox in Idaho, centers 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, tried to have that case dismissed despite being the one who filed it in 2020.
Hecox initially filed the lawsuit in 2020 to block an Idaho state law, HB 500, which prohibits men from competing in women’s sports, from competing on the Boise State women’s cross-country team. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in July, along with a similar case in West Virginia involving a trans athlete, West Virginia v. BPJ.
Hecox then tried to get the case against Idaho and Gov. Brad Little dropped in September.
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However, a federal judge struck down 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 present their oral arguments.
