WoLF is at the forefront of an unprecedented battle for women’s rights, and the stakes have never been higher. With major cases heading to the higher courts, we have a rare opportunity to set legal precedents and win decisive victories in the fight to protect single-sex spaces and uphold Title IX. 

WoLF put out a call for legal professionals willing to join the fight— and we were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support! Retired justices, top lawyers, paralegals, and researchers from across the country answered the call and joined our growing legal team. Today, we’re going to show you just one of their incredible accomplishments so far!

Our charitable legal work is more important now than ever — and we’re not backing down!

WoLF Submits Amicus Brief to The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

On Thursday, September 26, WoLF submitted an Amicus Brief to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. This case is part of the legal battleground where women’s rights could be redefined. Read the brief here.

What is an Appeals Court?

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is one of 13 federal appellate courts in the U.S., with jurisdiction over Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. These appellate courts set legal precedents in their circuit and can influence rulings nationwide. When contradictory decisions arise between circuit courts, the case may reach the Supreme Court. Because of the impact of these decisions, cases at this level are a critical battlefield for women’s rights. 

Case Background: Louisiana v. U.S. Department of Education

The case centers around a coalition of states—led by Louisiana and joined by Mississippi, Montana, Idaho, and various Louisiana school boards—challenging dangerous new federal Title IX regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Education. These rules allow males who identify as transgender to access women’s spaces and participate in activities for women and girls based on their claimed “gender identity” rather than their sex. This erases vital protections for women and girls, giving away the safety and privacy of female-only spaces.

WoLF has fought this new interpretation of Title IX from the very first day President Biden took office.

In June, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana issued an injunction blocking the new regulation. Title IX, the judge in that case declared, “was written and intended to protect biological women from discrimination.”

Now, the states are asking the Fifth Circuit to uphold this injunction, and WoLF is throwing our full weight behind this effort.

WoLF Brings Radical Feminist Defense of Women’s Spaces To the Courts

In our amicus brief, WoLF argues that permitting males into female-only spaces causes profound harm to women and girls. The new Title IX rule applies to school bathrooms, housing, and even juvenile justice facilities—spaces where women and girls need privacy and protection. Our brief includes powerful testimonies from women who have been forced to share these spaces with men, highlighting the deep emotional and psychological toll this policy has taken.

Learn more about amicus briefs in our recent legal update blog.

Key Quotes from WoLF’s Amicus Brief:

“Equal opportunity for women and girls, which includes the ability to meaningfully participate in public life, sometimes requires single-sex provisions in recognition of the physiological differences between the sexes.”

“Obviously, not every male will commit assault, murder, rape, or other sex offenses. The majority will not. The safety justification for female-only spaces is not because all men do these things - but rather because some men do... There is no objective justification for exempting males from these general statistics based on self-identification as female.”

“That any male can justify his presence in any female-only space by saying “I identify as female” will not escape the notice of those who already harass, assault, and rape tens of thousands of women and girls every day, as well as those who would do so if given the opportunity. Allowing any male to claim that he has a right by law to be in women’s most intimate spaces undermines laws designed to protect women in these places.”

Potential Impact: The Future of Title IX Is On the Line

If the Fifth Circuit upholds the lower court’s injunction, the Title IX rule would not be enforceable in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. It’s also possible that the court could issue a nationwide injunction, halting the rule’s enforcement across the entire country. A victory here could be a monumental win for women’s rights. 

This isn’t the only fight on our horizon. Later this week, WoLF will be submitting a similar brief in the Kansas v. Dept. of Ed. case in the Tenth Circuit (which includes Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming). Together, these cases present a perfect opportunity for the Supreme Court to weigh in and save Title IX once and for all!

Support WoLF’s Groundbreaking Legal Work! 

Now more than ever, we need your support. With every brief, every case, and every court appearance, WoLF is protecting the sex-based rights of women and girls across the country. But we can't do this without you. 

Your tax-deductible donation helps fund these nonpartisan, feminist legal battles. Donors like you continue the fight to ensure Title IX remains a powerful tool for preserving single-sex spaces and women's equality! 

Thanks to our amazing team of pro bono legal volunteers, your 2024 giving will have THREE times the impact on our legal work—your $20 gift can have the power of a $60 gift! Donate today and join us in making history!

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