The attorneys for Lindsay Hecox, the transgender athlete at the center of an impending Supreme Court battle over the protection of women's sports, have responded after a federal judge ruled against Hecox's attempt to have the case dropped. 

Hecox initially filed the lawsuit in 2020 to block an Idaho state law, HB 500, which prohibits males from competing in women's sports, in order to compete for the Boise State women's cross-country team. The Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in July, alongside a similar case in West Virginia involving a trans athlete, West Virginia v. B.P.J. 

Hecox then tried to have the case against Idaho and Gov. Brad Little dropped in September. 

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Hecox's attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Cooley, LLP, and Legal Voice, provided a statement to Fox News Digital after U.S. District Judge David Nye rejected the trans athlete's motion to dismiss the case on Tuesday. 

"Lindsay ended her participation in any women’s athletic programs covered by HB 500 to prioritize finishing her degree at Boise State and her personal safety and wellness. Lindsay withdrew her challenge to Idaho’s HB 500 and that remains unchanged," the statement read. "In West Virginia v. B.P.J., the U.S. Supreme Court will address a challenge to a nearly identical law. We will continue to advocate for the rights of all women and girls, including transgender women and girls."

When Hecox initially filed the lawsuit in 2020, the trans athlete was joined by an anonymous biological female student, Jane Doe, who was concerned about the potential of being subjected to the sex dispute verification process. The challenge was successful, as a federal judge blocked Idaho's state law. 

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A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld an injunction blocking the state law in 2023, before the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case back in July. Hecox then asked SCOTUS last month to drop the challenge, claiming the athlete "has therefore decided to permanently withdraw and refrain from playing any women’s sports at BSU or in Idaho."

Former Idaho State University cross-country and track runner Madison Kenyon voluntarily joined the defendant list in Little v. Hecox alongside Little after having to compete against a trans athlete her freshman year in 2019. 

"My coach sat us down in the room and told us that we would be competing against a male athlete at a specific meet and just let us know. And I remember sitting there and kind of like, looking around the room being like, 'Well, what do my teammates think about this? What do we do?’" Kenyon previously told Fox News Digital. "So, for us, it was not a matter of whether I'm going to compete or not. I'm going to put everything out there that I have and see what happens. And sure enough, this male athlete beat me, beat all my teammates and that continued to happen the entire season. So, that's when I said, 'This isn’t fair.'" 

Hecox's efforts to have the case dropped aren't completely over, as SCOTUS must still rule on whether the case is moot. But Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, who is leading the defense against Hecox, believes Nye's ruling is a "good sign" for their efforts to take the case to the highest court in the nation, and achieve a landmark ruling. 

Labrador previously said he hopes for the Supreme Court to cast a decision with a wider impact than just letting one state carry out its own specific law on the issue. He wants a new national precedent. 

"I believe that that's what they're gonna do," Labrador previously told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview. "I think they're going to have a big ruling on whether men can participate in women's sports, and more importantly, how to determine whether transgender individuals are protected by the federal constitution and state and federal laws." 

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It has been a turbulent yet inspiring year for Koreans. A declaration of martial law last winter plunged the nation into uncertainty, but what followed was not chaos – it was the reaffirmation of a people’s unshakable faith in democracy. 

The "Revolution of Light," culminating in the peaceful election of a new government, reminded the world that the Republic of Korea’s constitutional order rests not on the will of any ruler, but on the collective conscience of its citizens. 

Some observers abroad have mistaken the intensity of Korea’s political transition for fragility or deviation from democratic norms. In truth, such intensity is the very pulse of democracy itself. Our debates are often fierce, our elections passionately contested, yet our institutions endure. That resilience – born of experience, sacrifice, and civic discipline – is Korea’s greatest democratic asset.

Since taking office, President Lee Jae Myung has acted swiftly to reinforce the foundations of democracy at home and to renew the Republic of Korea’s partnership with the United States. In word and deed, President Lee has recognized the vital importance of the ROK-U.S. alliance and strengthened pragmatic cooperation with President Donald Trump, and put our interlocking security and economic objectives, and shared values at the heart of his agenda. 

TRUMP DELIVERED PEACE AND A FUTURE WHERE OTHERS ONLY TALKED

This approach reflects Korea’s confidence as a mature democracy and responsible global partner. President Lee views the alliance not merely as a legacy of the past, but as a living partnership, adapting to new challenges – from regional security and economic cooperation to advanced future technology.

This vision was clear at their August summit, where the two leaders spoke with candor and mutual respect, underscoring their shared determination to build what they called a "Future-Oriented Comprehensive Strategic Alliance." President Trump’s remark, "We’ve gotten along very well," captured the new tone of trust shaping this alliance. 

President Lee and the whole of the Korean government have meticulously ensured that even as we focus on restoring our democratic system, we not flail for one second in our responsibilities as friend and ally.  This makes certain commentaries – portraying Korea’s new leadership as undemocratic, illegitimate or even hostile to religion – so bewildering and saddening. Such claims, often repeated in online forums and even on opinion pages, bear little resemblance to facts and hinder our joint efforts for real solutions. 

HOW TRUMP'S RELENTLESS MIDDLE EAST GAMBLE FINALLY FLIPPED THE SCRIPT

Let’s set the record straight: The government of the Republic of Korea was democratically elected. President Lee prevailed in a fair and transparent vote recognized around the world for meeting the highest election standards. Neither Korea’s independent judiciary nor its opposition parties objected to the result. 

Since then, the principles of the rule of law have been scrupulously observed. Ongoing legal proceedings concerning the previous administration’s declaration of martial law and other alleged abuses of power are being conducted by independent prosecutors appointed by the National Assembly – not by the Presidential Office. These legal proceedings demonstrate the rule of law, not the erosion of it.

Equally unfounded are recent claims that the new government is "anti-Christian." Such narratives appear to arise from ongoing investigations into bribery allegations involving church funds, but for people familiar with Korea, the notion of prejudice is demonstrably absurd.

Christianity, along with Buddhism and other faiths, has played an integral role in Korea’s social and cultural life. Christian missionaries helped establish many of the nation’s leading educational and medical institutions, countless Christians sacrificed their lives for Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule. 

THATCHER AT 100: LESSONS IN CIVILITY, STRENGTH AND ENDURING ALLIANCES

Today, a large share of Korean population identifies as Christian, with millions of both Protestants and Catholics contributing to the fabric of Korean society. These individuals, like people of all faiths, continue to play a vital role in civic life, community service and the pursuit of national unity.

President Lee himself is a man of Christian faith. He and his administration have the deepest respect for freedom of religion and expression, which our Constitution enshrines. They, like all Koreans, are unambiguously proud of the legacy of Christianity and believe freedom of religion in the Republic of Korea rivals that of any place in the world.

To portray legitimate, lawful efforts to restore democratic order as a campaign against Christianity is not only misleading, but it undermines Christian legacy and respect for religious freedoms that are central to Korea’s democratic values.

As Koreans committed to democracy, vigorous debate and even disagreement are more than welcomed. It is what the new Korean government strove so vigorously to safeguard these past four months. But mischaracterizing all that has occurred does nothing to advance mutual understanding or produce real solutions for the Koreans and Americans alike.

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The Republic of Korea and the United States have sustained our alliance through eight decades of bravery and sacrifice. Today’s challenges require nothing less. Under President Lee’s government, Americans can be assured that they have a friend and partner who shares core values and is committed to the success of both of our nations. 

Look no further than their summit on Aug. 25 where the two leaders ushered in the era of a "Future-oriented Comprehensive Strategic Alliance" – one that looks confidently toward a more secure, democratic and prosperous future for both nations. Korea’s story is not one of uncertainty but of conviction: that a free people, tested by history, can renew both their democracy and their alliance with courage and grace.