Supreme Court blocks South Carolina's bathroom ban for transgender students

In a recent legal development in the United States, the Supreme Court decided not to take up South Carolina's bid to enforce a ban on transgender students using restrooms that correspond to their gender identity. This ruling, issued on September 10, 2025, came as a response to South Carolina's appeal stemming from a lower court decision that had previously halted the enforcement of the law. The case had arisen from a lawsuit filed on behalf of a 13-year-old student, identified as John Doe, who desired to use the boys' restroom at school. John Doe's lawyers contended that the law violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Constitution by discriminating against transgender students. They highlighted that no complaints had been registered about John using the boys' restroom during his time at school, emphasizing the normalization of his presence there. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had granted a temporary injunction on the enforcement of the South Carolina law while the legal battle proceeded. In the Supreme Court's unsigned decision, it was made clear that the denial of South Carolina's request did not constitute a ruling on the overall merits of the law, nor did it provide insight into how the justices might approach similar issues in the future. The ruling was indicative of broader national conversations concerning transgender rights and bathroom access, a contentious cultural issue within the United States. The decision bears significance in the context of ongoing legal battles over transgender rights, reinforced by a precedent set earlier in June 2025 when the Supreme Court upheld a ban in Tennessee on certain medical treatments for transgender minors. As cases involving transgender issues, including participation in school sports, are set to be reviewed in the upcoming term, the Supreme Court's recent action hinted at an evolving judicial landscape surrounding these matters, even as advocates for transgender rights continue to fight state-level restrictions.