This week read about a Michigan court giving rights to a lesbian couple over the custody of their twin children, and West Virginia's Senate passing a bill that takes away the rights of trans women to play on women's sports teams.

Michigan Court Restores Rights of Lesbian Parent

The Michigan Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court’s decision involving the lesbian couple’s dispute over the custody of their twin children.

Wayne County Circuit Court ruled that the mother whose eggs were used was the only legal parent. The “non-legal” mother was ordered to be treated as a third-party in custody issues, despite having carried the twins to term and co-parenting for several years.

Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBT Project, told Pride Source, “This decision makes it clearer in the realm of same-sex couples [that] you do not have to be biologically related in order to be a legal parent, I think that’s why this decision is very significant.”

Both mothers have been granted interim joint custody as the case returns to Wayne County Circuit Court, where both will be acknowledged as legal parents.

West Virginia Senate Passes Anti-Trans Bill

Photo via PxHere.

On Thursday, The West Virginia State Senate advanced HB 3293 — a bill prohibiting transgender girls and women from playing on women’s sports teams — by a vote of 18-15.

The bill is one of a pack of anti-transgender legislation being introduced across more than 20 states, including Florida, Texas, and Montana. While most bans specifically target middle and high schools, state senators have expanded HB 3293 to include college sports as well.

Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said in a statement, “There is no evidence that supports the need for this legislation, and it will jeopardize the well-being of transgender kids across the state, who are just kids who want to play. The health and safety of children should never be reduced to a political talking point.”

The bill is now headed to the desk of Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, who said he will allow it to become law.