Sorority members petition 10th Circuit to overturn transgender-inclusive definition of "woman"

Six sorority sisters from the University of Wyoming filed a petition in the 10th Circuit seeking to revive a lawsuit that challenges Kappa Kappa Gamma’s 2015 decision to expand membership to "women and individuals who identify as women." Attorney Angela Lavin argued the change disrupts the sorority’s 150-year tradition as an all-women organization and was adopted without a member vote. The plaintiffs claim the board forced them to accept a transgender sister and threatened expulsion of dissenters.

During oral arguments, Judges Nancy Moritz, Jerome Holmes and Timothy Tymkovich probed the court’s jurisdiction over internal governance and the relevance of the board’s interpretation of "woman." Kappa Kappa Gamma’s lawyer Natalie McLaughlin countered that the policy aligns with the bylaws and that members retain the right to amend definitions or elect new leadership. The panel gave no timeline for a decision, leaving the dispute unresolved.