Federal Court Blocks University of California From Punishing Students for Using Pronouns That Match Biological Sex

Defending Education’s fight for free speech on college campuses scored a major victory on September 16, 2026, when a federal judge entered a preliminary injunction in our lawsuit against the University of California over a sexual harassment policy that punishes students for constitutionally protected speech. UC’s policy purports to punish students for so-called “misgendering” and “deadnaming.” The injunction secured by Defending Education bars UC from enforcing that policy against our members at UC schools for referring to others using biologically accurate pronouns and names, in accordance with their sincere beliefs. The injunction stays in place while the case moves toward a final ruling on whether the policy is constitutional, and we look forward to securing lasting protection for students’ free speech across the UC system.

Defending Ed President Nicole Neily:

We are gratified by today’s district court decision enjoining the University of California system’s coercive speech policy against our members. It is unconstitutional for public universities to compel student speech, and we will continue to defend this principle in California and other schools across the country as needed.

Read the full decision: