Switzer, Navratilova join SCOTUS trans‑athlete brief
Super Bowl–winning coach Barry Switzer and 31 Olympians, including Martina Navratilova and multiple gold medalists, signed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold Idaho and West Virginia laws restricting transgender females from competing in women’s sports. A separate amicus from 130 congressional Democrats backs the trans athlete plaintiffs in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. BPJ, with oral arguments set for January 13 in Washington, D.C.
📌 Key Facts
- Athletes’ brief has 124 total signatures, including 31 Olympians and 12 medalists (8 gold).
- Counter-brief from 130 Democrats is led by Rep. Becca Balint, Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, and Sen. Mazie Hirono.
- Supreme Court oral arguments in Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. BPJ are scheduled for Jan. 13 in Washington, D.C.
📊 Relevant Data
Males typically outperform females by 10%-30% in athletic events relying on endurance, muscle strength, speed, and power.
The Biological Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance — PubMed
After one year of hormone therapy, transgender women performed better in sports than cisgender women, but after two years, their performance was largely equalized.
Fact check: Do trans women have unfair athletic advantage? — DW
After 12 months of testosterone suppression, transgender women remained 48% stronger, with 35% larger quadriceps mass compared with the control population of cisgender women.
Trans Inclusion & Women's Sport — Women in Sport
Transgender women athletes demonstrated higher absolute handgrip strength than cisgender women, with no difference found relative to fat-free mass or hand size.
Strength, power and aerobic capacity of transgender athletes — British Journal of Sports Medicine
There are approximately 300,100 transgender youth ages 13-17 in the United States.
The Impact of Transgender Sports Participation Bans on Transgender Youth — Williams Institute