BOISE, Idaho — Lindsay Hecox, a 24-year-old transgender senior at Boise State University, has informed the U.S. Supreme Court that she will no longer pursue a legal challenge to Idaho’s ban on transgender athletes in schools and higher education institutions as laid out by House Bill 500 (HB-500).
Through her legal representation, Hecox told the court that she "has voluntarily dismissed with prejudice her claims against petitioners in the district court."
As a rising sophomore in 2020, Hecox claims she "intended to try out for the BSU women’s track and cross-country teams" but was not allowed due to the recent passing of HB-500. She asserted at the time that HB-500 violated her constitutional and statutory rights under the Equal Protection Clause.
In June of 2024, the Ninth District Court of Appeals ultimately sided with an earlier injunction from a district court that forbade her exclusion from BSU's women's track and cross country teams. The Supreme Court later granted the petitioners a writ of certiorari, and the nation's highest court was prepared to review the case’s merits this fall. The dismissal also requests that the Ninth District Court vacate its earlier ruling.
While the injunction was in place, Hecox tried out for BSU's NCAA women's track and cross country teams but was not selected. Instead, she played for the women's club soccer team at BSU.
In the Notice of Dismissal, attorneys representing Hecox say the decision to drop the case is based on the "significant challenges" she has experienced that have "affected her both personally and academically, including an illness and her father’s passing in 2022, that impeded her ability to focus on her schoolwork and participate in sports." The statement also cites "negative public scrutiny" that would inhibit her ability to graduate as planned this upcoming year.
"After graduating, I plan to move to be closer to my family. I am looking forward to being closer to my support systems and loved ones and look forward to securing full-time employment after graduating." - Lindsay Hecox
In her conclusion, Hecox agrees to "refrain from playing any women’s sports at BSU or in Idaho," including club soccer.
Since the Notice of Dismissal was issued "with prejudice," Hecox may not bring her legal complaint to federal court again.
