Federal Court Dismisses Appeal Over Transgender Woman's Sorority Acceptance at University of Wyoming

The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals rejects appeal challenging the admission of a transgender woman into a sorority at the University of Wyoming, allowing for potential refiling of the case.

On June 12, 2024, a federal court dismissed an appeal challenging the acceptance of a transgender woman into a sorority at the University of Wyoming. The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver ruled against hearing the appeal, citing the lower court's allowance for the case to be refiled. The case centered on Artemis Langford, a transgender woman admitted to the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority in Laramie.

The sorority argued it had autonomy in interpreting its bylaws, while six members sought a more restrictive definition of "woman." U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson in Cheyenne had previously dismissed the case without prejudice, permitting potential refiling. The appeal's dismissal followed arguments that the case was not yet ripe for appellate review. The lawsuit originally included Kappa Kappa Gamma's president, Mary Pat Rooney, and sparked demonstrations outside the courthouse in Denver.