We learned today that the Supreme Court of the United States has decided not to review the decision in Liam Morrison’s First Amendment case. While this is not the outcome we had hoped for, we know that Liam’s courage has already made an impact far beyond the courtroom. His decision to wear his now-famous t-shirt, proclaiming the self-evident truth that “There Are Only Two Genders,” has reverberated in the court of public opinion and helped to change the national dialogue on gender ideology and free speech. We are so proud of Liam and so thankful for your support for him.
When we first received the call from Liam’s stepmom in April of 2023, we immediately knew there was something special about his case. Liam’s articulate defense at a local school committee meeting of his right to freely speak truth at school inspired us. It was our privilege to represent him from the very first demand letter we sent on his behalf, to litigating in the federal district and appeals courts, all the way up to submitting a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to take his case. We are grateful for the excellent legal support provided by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which took the lead role in Liam’s federal cases.
The U.S. Supreme Court only takes a tiny fraction of the cases that are presented to it – usually somewhere around 1%. Often, petitions for review are denied without any comment. But here, Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito both wrote dissents to the court’s decision not to take Liam’s case. Justice Alito did not hold back in his defense of Liam and criticism for the lower court decisions, stating that “The court below erred, and badly so […] So long as the First Circuit’s opinion is on the books, thousands of students will attend school without the full panoply of First Amendment rights.” We wholeheartedly agree with Justice Alito’s warning and echo his call for the Supreme Court to take up a case like Liam’s in the future to reverse the First Circuit’s dangerous precedent.
While this is the end of the road for Liam’s court case, it’s certainly not the end of this story. Liam’s courageous stand has inspired many others to speak out for their belief in biological truth. And the more people that are willing to swim against the cultural tide of gender ideology like Liam, the weaker that destructive movement will become. Indeed, we are already seeing extremely encouraging signs of this, with President Trump even echoing Liam’s words in his inaugural address: “As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States government that there are only two genders: male and female.” It is no overstatement to say that without the advocacy of Liam and others, a statement like this from a U.S. President may not have been politically possible.
So, while we are disappointed by the Supreme Court’s decision, we are also grateful: grateful for Liam’s courage; grateful for the opportunity to help represent him; and grateful that, as we continue to encounter more “Liam Morrisons” in need of legal defense for their free speech rights, our supporters allow us to take up these cases. Thank you for following Liam’s case and thank you for your continued support for MFI and others like Liam. We know that ultimately, truth will prevail on these crucial issues.
