As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to weigh a case that could determine whether states may restrict male participation in women’s sports, the American Civil Liberties Union has launched a national media campaign urging the public to embrace so-called “transgender” athletes.
The campaign, branded “Let Them Play,” features images and stories of male athletes who identify as female and argue that biological sex distinctions in sports are discriminatory. The effort comes as the Supreme Court considers whether to hear challenges to state laws that limit women’s athletic competitions to biological females, according to reporting by Fox News.
The legal backdrop centers on a growing number of states that have enacted laws aimed at preserving fairness and safety in women’s sports by recognizing the biological differences between males and females. Supporters of these laws argue they protect opportunities for girls and young women, while opponents—including the ACLU—frame them as civil rights violations.
In public statements, ACLU leaders said the campaign is intended to “humanize” athletes affected by the laws and influence public opinion as the Supreme Court considers whether to intervene. The organization has filed briefs and supported lawsuits challenging state protections, arguing that sex-based athletic categories unlawfully exclude those who identify as the opposite sex.
Critics counter that the issue is not personal identity but objective biological reality. Decades of sports science demonstrate that male puberty confers significant advantages in strength, speed, and endurance—advantages that persist even after hormone suppression. From a biblical worldview, critics also emphasize that male and female are not interchangeable social categories but part of God’s created order, with real and meaningful differences.
The Supreme Court case at issue stems from lower court rulings that blocked enforcement of state laws designed to preserve women’s sports. If the Court agrees to hear the case, it could establish a nationwide precedent either affirming states’ authority to maintain sex-based athletic divisions or forcing schools to allow males to compete against females.
Parents, female athletes, and coaches across the country have increasingly spoken out, warning that allowing males into girls’ sports undermines competitive fairness, increases injury risk, and erases opportunities for women who have fought for decades to be recognized on their own merits.
While the ACLU’s campaign emphasizes emotional storytelling, opponents argue the real human cost is borne by young women displaced on podiums, scholarships, and rosters. Many also see the issue as part of a broader cultural push to redefine biological reality, often at the expense of children and families.
As the Supreme Court deliberates, the clash reflects a deeper national divide: whether law and culture will continue to recognize the clear distinction between male and female—or whether ideological commitments will override both science and Scripture in public life.
