In a 6-3 decision Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld multiple state bans on transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.

The ruling could have an impact on Illinois, and potentially the midterm elections.

The court upheld bans in two states, Idaho and West Virginia, which prohibited individuals who identified as transgender women and girls, but were born as biological males, from competing in college and youth sports.

In the majority opinion, justices said the bans did not violate Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity which receives federal financial assistance.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker posted a statement on the social platform X, in which he called the decision a “setback for equality in this nation.”

Ed Yohnka with the Illinois ACLU told The Center Square what the ruling could mean for Illinois students.

“The Supreme Court while it said that states could ban that participation, they didn’t say they had to. And so that leaves it up to Illinois to make this policy and nothing in Illinois should change as a result of the ruling today,” Yohnka said.

In a statement to The Center Square, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul reflected Yohnka’s statement, and argued that students in the state, “have the right to fully participate in school activities, including sports.”

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