Judge rules University of Wyoming sorority can admit men

A federal judge has dismissed, for the second time, a lawsuit against the University of Wyoming’s Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority that challenged its decision to admit a transgender-identifying student.

U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson ruled on Aug. 23 that the private sorority has the right to define “woman” for its purposes and determine membership without court interference. His 35-page opinion said the claims of fraud and bylaw violations brought by several sorority members were “futile” because Kappa’s governing documents do not restrict membership to biological females.

[RELATED: Trans-identifying Boise State students challenge law keeping men out of women’s bathrooms] 

The lawsuit was first filed in March 2023 after the national organization admitted a male into the University of Wyoming chapter in Laramie. Johnson dismissed the suit later that year, and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to revive it in 2024. 

The plaintiffs refiled in June, but Johnson’s latest ruling dismissed the case with prejudice, blocking it from being refiled in his court.

The court also rejected the plaintiffs’ reliance on Trump’s Executive Order 14168 that defines “woman” as “adult human female,” writing that the definition “had no bearing” in the dispute. Johnson remarked, “We are not entirely sure what this definition means, not having a degree in biology.”

The University of Wyoming clarified it had no role in the lawsuit, which was strictly between the plaintiffs and Kappa Kappa Gamma’s national organization. The sorority has previously released statements supporting transgender inclusion.

The outcome comes as universities nationwide scale back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid state and federal pressure. 

One month after the 2024 presidential election, the University of North Texas removed DEI language from nearly 80 courses to comply with new rules. 

[RELATED: County Board of Education Bans Transgender Athletes from Girls’ Sports] 

The Harvard Graduate School of Education shuttered its DEI office and eliminated its diversity chief position after federal funding was frozen earlier this year. 

Syracuse University and Cornell University also closed or renamed DEI offices during negotiations with the Trump administration over federal funding.

Campus Reform has reached out to Kappa Kappa Gamma, the plaintiffs’ attorney, and the University of Wyoming for comment. This story will be updated accordingly.