Indiana Trans Schoolchildren Win Federal Court Battle for Bathroom Access

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling that transgender students in Indiana must have access to bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identities. The ruling, which applies to the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville and the Vigo County Schools, was welcomed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana. The court opinion suggests that the US Supreme Court will likely step in to provide further guidance on transgender rights. While Indiana does not have laws restricting bathroom access for transgender students, nearly a dozen other states have enacted such laws. The case was originally brought by the ACLU and Indiana Legal Services on behalf of a transgender student.