A U.S. District Judge has once again ruled against former Kappa Kappa Gamma members who sued their sorority for allowing a biological male to join their organization. In a recent ruling, Judge Alan B. Johnson dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs cannot refile the same claim in this court, though they may still appeal. The case revolves around the University of Wyoming chapter of the sorority admitting Artemis Langford, a transgender student, in 2022. Johnson concluded that the sorority’s definition of ‘women’ is based on gender, not biological sex, and that it can interpret the term as it sees fit.
The judge also dismissed the plaintiffs’ argument that President Donald Trump’s definition of ‘women’ as ‘adult, human females’ applied to the case. Johnson admitted he was unsure of the exact meaning of the executive order’s definition and emphasized that it was relevant only to federal policy, not private contracts. The court, he noted, is not allowed to interfere with the sorority’s decisions unless there was a clear breach of its bylaws or fraudulent activity.
Langford’s admission to the sorority became the center of the lawsuit, with the former members alleging that Langford not only made no effort to appear feminine but also engaged in voyeuristic behavior by observing women in intimate situations. The complaint described one incident in which Langford had a visible erection while watching sorority members. However, Langford denied these allegations, and according to court records, another sorority sister corroborated Langford’s version of the events, which supports his claim.
It’s worth noting that this case is not the first time the sorority has faced legal challenges over Langford’s membership. In 2023, the same lawsuit was rejected without prejudice, and the judge ruled that the sorority’s bylaws did not clearly define ‘woman,’ leaving the interpretation to the organization itself. This time, the dismissal with prejudice indicates that the court is more definitive in its stance, leaving the sorority to handle its membership decisions without judicial interference, unless there is a clear violation of its own rules.