On September 3, 2025, two stories—one unfolding in the heart of Pennsylvania politics, the other at the highest level of the U.S. Supreme Court—thrust the issue of transgender rights and LGBTQ+ protections into the national spotlight. The narratives, though emerging from different corners of the country, are deeply intertwined, revealing the evolving landscape of civil rights, partisan divides, and the personal toll of public scrutiny.
In Pennsylvania, Stacy Garrity, the state’s Republican treasurer, announced her candidacy for governor. Garrity, who secured reelection with more votes than any statewide candidate in the state’s history, is widely considered the GOP’s frontrunner. Yet her campaign launch has already stirred controversy, particularly among LGBTQ+ advocates and Democratic lawmakers. According to reporting from local outlets, Garrity publicly questioned the legitimacy of election results at a Harrisburg rally on the eve of the January 6, 2021 insurrection—a move that continues to shadow her public persona.
State Representative Malcolm Kenyatta, the first Black openly LGBTQ+ member of Pennsylvania’s general assembly, has emerged as one of Garrity’s most vocal critics. Kenyatta, currently trekking on foot from Philadelphia to Harrisburg to raise awareness about transit funding, has accused Garrity of being a "MAGA acolyte." He says the treasurer’s record and rhetoric signal a retreat from bipartisan cooperation and a lack of commitment to the rights of marginalized Pennsylvanians. "We don’t have to choose to invest in one community at the expense of another community. We can invest in everybody," Kenyatta told reporters, emphasizing the need for inclusive policies that support all families.
Transit funding is just one battleground. The state Senate’s failure to pass a budget has already led to decreased access to public transportation, hitting vulnerable populations hardest. Kenyatta believes Garrity should use her platform to pressure Republican leaders to work across the aisle and restore critical services. Instead, Garrity’s campaign has largely focused on attacking incumbent Governor Josh Shapiro, offering little in the way of concrete plans for public infrastructure or social policy.
Garrity’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights and abortion has also come under intense scrutiny. In a recent interview with Fox 43, she evaded direct questions about marriage equality, offered only vague comments about parental rights, and sidestepped the abortion debate. "We’ve had the same exact law on the books since 1982, and it was bipartisan," she told the station, declining to elaborate on abortion protections in Pennsylvania. "I don’t hear a lot of talk about it anymore." This ambiguity stands in stark contrast to her previous public statements, including social media posts calling for a pro-life governor and celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Garrity has even sold T-shirts promoting the idea of defunding Planned Parenthood.
Currently, abortion remains protected in Pennsylvania up to 23 weeks of gestation, but legislative attempts to restrict access have been introduced. While the law has bipartisan roots, the governor’s office holds considerable sway—through executive orders or veto power—over how these protections are implemented or dismantled.
Marriage equality is another flashpoint. Pennsylvania’s statute on domestic relations still defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman, despite a 2014 federal court ruling that struck down the state’s ban. There are no explicit state laws protecting marriage equality, leaving LGBTQ+ families in a precarious position should federal protections be rolled back. When pressed about the Supreme Court possibly reconsidering marriage equality, Garrity demurred: "I don’t really want to talk about hypotheticals. To be honest, I haven’t even given it much thought at all."
Jack Doyle, director of PA Accountability Hub, criticized Garrity for her evasiveness. "By refusing to stand up for Pennsylvania’s right to marriage equality, Stacy Garrity is once again demonstrating that the people of the Commonwealth cannot trust her," Doyle said. He warned that the governor is the "last line of defense against the Trump administration’s attacks on Pennsylvanians’ freedoms," and argued that Garrity has proven unwilling to defend those rights.
Kenyatta, who helped pass a bill codifying marriage equality in the Pennsylvania House with support from 32 Republicans, saw the bill die in the GOP-controlled Senate. He and his allies have reintroduced the legislation, but its prospects remain dim without bipartisan cooperation. Governor Shapiro, a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, has pledged to sign such a bill if it reaches his desk. Garrity, on the other hand, could veto it—effectively stalling progress.
"In this instance, she’s making it clear that she does not give a damn about Pennsylvania’s families and about what we need to do to strengthen the family unit," Kenyatta said. He argued that marriage equality isn’t just about love, but also about practical matters like taxes, housing, health care, and economic security. "We know that when families are strong, Pennsylvania is strong," he added, warning that thousands of families are anxiously awaiting the courts' next move on marriage rights.
Garrity has also taken clear positions against transgender rights, particularly regarding sports participation. In an interview with Fox News Digital, she voiced opposition to allowing transgender girls to compete on girls’ sports teams. This position aligns with recent moves in the Pennsylvania Senate, which passed a bill banning transgender students from participating in school sports teams consistent with their gender identity. However, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Democrat-controlled House.
These state-level debates are playing out against a national backdrop of legal battles over transgender rights. On the same day as Garrity’s announcement, Lindsey Hecox, a 24-year-old transgender woman and senior at Boise State University, filed to withdraw her U.S. Supreme Court case challenging Idaho’s ban on transgender athletes. According to CNN, Hecox cited "intense negative public scrutiny" and personal challenges, including her father’s death in 2022, as reasons for stepping back. Notably, she asked the justices to vacate the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in her favor—a rare legal move.
Idaho’s ban, signed into law in 2020 by Republican Governor Brad Little, was among the first in the nation. Hecox sued, arguing the law violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. The federal district court halted the law’s enforcement against her, and the Ninth Circuit affirmed that decision. Idaho appealed to the Supreme Court in July 2025.
Even as Hecox’s case recedes, the Supreme Court is preparing to hear a similar challenge from West Virginia. There, Governor Jim Justice signed a comparable ban in 2021. The Fourth Circuit Court ruled the law violated Title IX, and the Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in 2026, with a decision due by June.
These cases are among the most contentious in the current civil rights discourse, with the potential to shape policies for schools and athletic programs nationwide. The outcomes could determine whether states can lawfully bar transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity—a question that remains deeply divisive across the political spectrum.
As Pennsylvania gears up for a pivotal gubernatorial race, and the Supreme Court weighs landmark cases, the stakes for LGBTQ+ rights have rarely been higher. For advocates and opponents alike, the coming months will test the nation’s commitment to equality, inclusion, and the rule of law in ways both personal and profound.
