Following the Supreme Court's affirmation of state laws restricting transgender athletes in women's and girls' sports, Senator Jim Justice, R-W.Va., is advocating for federal legislation to establish these protections nationwide.
The Supreme Court's rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho that base participation in female sports on biological sex, aligning with similar legislation in 27 other states. Justice, who previously signed West Virginia's "Save Women's Sports Act" into law as governor, stated that the ruling validates his state's approach after years of legal challenges.
"To be perfectly honest, it makes me super proud of West Virginia," Justice said in an interview. "I'm prejudiced, you know, toward West Virginia, that's for sure. But it makes me proud that the people of West Virginia had it right."
West Virginia enacted its law requiring athletic teams designated for females at public schools and colleges to be based on biological sex in April 2021. The measure faced legal challenges that continued until reaching the Supreme Court.
Justice, a former coach, emphasized his commitment to protecting the integrity of women's sports and the opportunities for female athletes, referencing the value of Title IX. "I see how hard they compete, how hard they try, how valuable Title IX is. I see their dreams being extinguished. And from my standpoint, from my heart, I've been all in from day one," he stated.
While the Supreme Court upheld the existing state laws, it did not establish a national standard. This outcome has prompted Justice's push for federal action. He indicated his continued support for legislation, having previously cosponsored Senator Tommy Tuberville's "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act," which failed to advance in the Senate.
"There's still more that needs to come," Justice told Fox News Digital. "This needs to be national."
His call for a nationwide law occurs amidst ongoing disputes between the Trump administration and Democratic-led states like California and Maine over policies permitting transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. The Trump administration has filed lawsuits against these states, asserting violations of Title IX protections for women and girls. A spokesperson for California Governor Gavin Newsom's office stated that the Supreme Court's decision does not affect California's laws and that the state remains committed to dignity and respect for all, including the LGBTQ community.
"As soon as I was sworn in as Senator I got to work on protecting women's sports," Justice said in a statement. "Our girls deserve somebody willing to stand up and fight for them. That's why I proudly cosponsored Senator Tuberville's S.9 and pushed the NCAA for answers about protecting women's locker rooms. At the end of the day, this isn't complicated. It's just common sense. Let's protect our female athletes, keep women's sports for women, and do what's right."
Justice also extended an invitation for families to relocate to states like West Virginia and Idaho, which he described as practicing "common sense."
"For five years, we've been on this journey and there's been a lot of beautiful, athletic girls and women that have been trying as hard as they can and people have, in many situations, turned their backs on them," Justice said. "We waited five years too long, and for those that fell through the cracks in those five years, we should all apologize, but we should celebrate today."