Federal judge upholds University of Wyoming sorority's right to include trans women

A U.S. District Court Judge has reaffirmed the right of the University of Wyoming's Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority to determine its own membership criteria, including the acceptance of transgender women. The ruling, delivered Friday by Judge Alan B. Johnson, marks the second dismissal of a lawsuit challenging the sorority's welcoming of a transgender member, Artemis Langford, in the fall of 2022.

The legal challenge, initially filed in 2023 by a group of Kappa Kappa Gamma members, alleged that the sorority violated its bylaws, breached housing contracts, and misled members by admitting Langford. These claims were once again rejected by Judge Johnson, who emphasized the sorority's freedom, as a private organization, to define its membership criteria.

"In short, we are required to leave Kappa alone," Judge Johnson stated in his ruling, underscoring the court's respect for the sorority's self-governance.

As reported by Wyofile, the case garnered national attention and prompted an investigation by the Trump administration into alleged Title IX violations at the University of Wyoming. However, Judge Johnson's ruling firmly asserts that governmental bodies cannot interfere with a private organization's membership decisions.

An initial dismissal of the case in August 2023 was followed by an unsuccessful appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, which cited a lack of jurisdiction due to the absence of a final order. Subsequently, a revised complaint was filed in June by a new group of plaintiffs – former UW students Hannah Holtmeier, Allison Coghan, and Haley Rutsch – which excluded Langford as a defendant.

Despite these amended claims, Judge Johnson remained steadfast in his conclusion. "Having considered the issues presented (again), we find that the majority of the claims must be dismissed on the grounds that this Court still may not interfere with Kappa’s contractually valid interpretation of its own Bylaws," he stated.

Judge Johnson clarified that Kappa Kappa Gamma's governing documents do not contain any provisions that prohibit the inclusion of transgender women. He further noted that the sorority has openly communicated its inclusive definition of membership through published materials.