CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that West Virginia’s transgender sports ban violates the rights of a teen athlete. The 2-1 ruling Tuesday from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the law cannot be applied to Becky Pepper Jackson. She has been taking puberty-blocking medication and publicly identified as a girl since she was in the third grade. Judge Toby Heytens wrote that offering her a “choice” between not participating in sports and participating only on boys teams “is no real choice at all.” The American Civil Liberties Union, its West Virginia chapter and LGBTQ interest group Lambda Legal filed the lawsuit in 2021.