09/28/2025
HAPPENING NOW: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, joined by other religious organizations, has submitted an amicus curiae brief in the Supreme Court cases Bradley Little v. Lindsay Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J.
These cases challenge state laws in Idaho and West Virginia that bar transgender women from women’s sports teams, which transgender plaintiffs argue violate the Equal Protection Clause.
Lower courts ruled these laws are discriminatory, and the Supreme Court is now evaluating whether transgender status should be classified as a “quasi-suspect” class, requiring transgender protections for gender.
The brief, spearheaded by the Mormon Church, argues against granting transgender status such protection, claiming it would jeopardize religious freedom. The Church asserts that its belief in the “inseparability of biological s*x and gender” is fundamental, and recognizing transgender status as a protected class could restrict their ability to enforce faith-based policies in employment, adoption, and public accommodations.
The brief explicitly states that such a ruling would unsettle federal rights, warning that “religious freedom would be less free” (p. 3) if religious organizations faced legal challenges for adhering to their doctrines.
This stance reveals a troubling prioritization of institutional policy over individual dignity. The Church expresses concern that transgender protections would “recast millennia-old religious teachings about the inseparability of s*x and gender as akin to racism and their adherents as bigots” (p. 3), indicating a fear of social stigma for their beliefs. Yet, it simultaneously advocates for policies that marginalize transgender individuals, suggesting they should be “encouraged to accept their s*x and to live accordingly” (p. 13).
The brief further argues that protecting transgender people would mean “stigmatizing and isolating” religious communities (p. 16), framing transgender equality as a direct threat to their freedom.
For a church, which should champion compassion and human dignity, this focus on safeguarding rigid policies over supporting vulnerable individuals is striking. The brief prioritizes the Church’s ability to exclude transgender people from employment, adoption, or other settings without legal or social consequences, placing doctrinal purity above the well-being of transgender individuals.
If the Supreme Court sides with this position, it could weaken transgender protections, allowing religious organizations broader latitude to discriminate under the guise of religious liberty.
These cases mark a pivotal moment in balancing religious freedom with equal protection, with far-reaching consequences for both.
A link to the full brief is included here:
https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-38/375225/20250919133444530_24-38-24-43acTheChurchOfJesusChristOfLatter-DaySaints.pdf
