The parents of a 15-year-old transgender teen in Ohio have appealed a Warren County probate judge’s decision to deny their son a legal name change. According to Cincinnati.com Judge Joseph Kirby ruled that the teen couldn’t legally change his name — alleging that teens lack the “maturity, knowledge, and stability” to make such a decision.

Leigh and Kylen Whitaker told WKRC-TV they feel the probate judge violated their constitutional rights when he denied their request to change their son’s name.

“He started out by asking us did this all start when all of this stuff came out in the media. And we didn’t know what he was talking about. And later on he clarified he was talking about when Bruce Jenner came out,” Leigh said.

The Whitakers said in a statement, “we thought that since the child, both parents and medical specialists agreed that a name change was in our child’s best interest that the hearing would be just a formality. Instead, it felt more like a 20-minute interrogation with very intrusive questions.”

The Whitakers are hoping the decision will be overturned as it heads to the 12th District Court of Appeals.

Kirby wrote in his decision, “Adolescence is a time of fevered exploration,” continuing, “The Court is sympathetic to the parents of the child and their desire to assuage their child. In essence, the Court isn't saying 'no' to the name change. The Court is simply saying 'not yet.'"

For transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people, a name change can be gender affirming. Yet like the Whitakers’ case, it can feel like an arduous exercise in red tape and invasive questions.

Josh Langdon, an LGBTQ rights attorney for the family, said that the family feels that their child is on trial for being transgender, when all he wanted was a legal name change, according to Cincinnati.com.

Langdon said the appeal could set precedent in the state and will be the first of its kind in front of the court.

“This appeal is a case of first impression in Ohio, and we will fight vigorously to ensure that (the teen) and his family are treated with dignity and respect. We hope the 12th District Court of Appeals moves quickly to overturn Judge Kirby’s decision to put transgender children on trial,” said Langdon.

Let us slide into your DMs. Sign up for the Teen Vogue daily email.

Get the Teen Vogue Take. Sign up for the Teen Vogue weekly email.