West Virginia
West Virginia trans sports ban discriminates against teen, court says
Becky Pepper-Jackson challenged a West Virginia transgender sports ban along with her family. (Getty)
West Virginia’s transgender athletes ban discriminates against a 13-year-old trans girl, a US court has ruled.
A court ruling handed down by the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday (16 April) described the proposed law banning trans women from women’s sports as the “definition of gender identity discrimination.”
The West Virginia law, dubbed the “Save Women’s Sports Act,” was passed in 2021 and barred transgender girls from competing in girls’ teams or sporting events.
It was challenged by 13-year-old transgender school student, Becky Pepper-Jackson, who was 11 at the time, after she was blocked from participating in her school’s cross-country and track teams.
The law was successfully blocked in February 2023 and further attempts to overturn the decision have been rejected.
The appeals court handed down yet another ruling blocking the bill from taking effect, saying that the bill violates constitutional rights and the US’ anti-discrimination act, Title IX.
“The Act treats transgender girls differently from cisgender girls,” the decision reads. “Which is – literally – the definition of gender identity discrimination.”
“The defendants cannot expect that [Becky Pepper-Jackson] will countermand her social transition, her medical treatment, and all the work she has done with her schools, teachers, and coaches for nearly half her life by introducing herself to teammates, coaches, and even opponents as a boy.”
The ruling takes into account that the lawmakers defending the bill “do not dispute” that forcing Pepper-Jackson to detransition for the purposes of competition would “contradict treatment protocols for gender dysphoria.”
“It would also expose [Becky Pepper-Jackson] to the same risk of unfair competition and, in some sports, physical danger – from which the defendants claim to be shielding cisgender girls.”
Joshua Block, the plaintiff’s lawyer and solicitor for the American Civil Liberties Union, called the ruling a “tremendous victory” for Pepper-Jackson, trans West Virginians, and for “the freedom of all youth to play as who they are.”
Who is 13-year-old Becky Pepper-Jackson?
The plaintiff of the legal challenge, Becky Pepper-Jackson, sued West Virginia state authorities alongside her mother not long after the sports ban took effect.
The eighth grader from Bridgeport, West Virginia, has competed in track and field competitions for over three seasons, according to court filings.
A blurb on the ACLU news and commentary website says: “When Becky isn’t colouring her her pink or playing video games with her friends, she’s probably running.
“Everyone in Becky’s family – her two older brothers and bother her parents – are avid runners.”
After the law was signed into effect by Republican West Virginia governor, Jim Justice, Pepper-Jackson sought a legal challenge for the lower courts, which initially ruled against her.
The ruling was then considered for appeal by the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals, which eventually took the legal challenge to the Supreme Court, which ruled against lifting an injunction against the law.
Pepper-Jackson reportedly knew she was a girl at a young age, before she or her family knew what being transgender event meant.
“Becky never had to ‘come out’ to her family,” the ACLU writes. “As early as age four, long before she or her parents for that matter, understood what the word ‘transgender’ meant.”
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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