Erin Porterfield and Kristin Williams — two Omaha, Nebraska moms — are fighting to have both of their names put on their children’s birth certificates.

Last month, Lancaster County Judge Ryan Post denied the former couple’s request to have both of their names on the birth certificates of their two children, saying that state law requires a birth certificate to be biological parents of the child and that paternity must be acknowledged.

Porterfield and Williams were in a romantic relationship from 2000 to 2013. Porterfieeld gave birth to their first son in 2002 and Williams gave birth to their second son in 2005. Both were conceived through a sperm donor.

Even though the two’s romantic relationship has ended, they are still co-parenting their two sons together. They believe that by having both their names on the birth certificates it will ultimately help their children, arguing that unmarried same-sex couples are often treated wildly different than unmarried opposite-sex couples. The two moms also accused the state of sexual discrimination, noting that men are allowed to “voluntarily acknowledge” that they are parents, but the same is not offered to women.

They also argued that without both of their names on the brith certificates, their children’s eligibility for government benefits should something happen to one of the moms could be at risk. Ultimately, this is something the two moms want so that their children are protected.

“Our sons are our entire world and we want to make sure we’re doing right by them,” Porterfield said when the lawsuit was first filed back in October 2021, according to Huffington Post. “Our boys have a right to the security of having both parents on their birth certificates, a required document in so many life changes and decisions. That’s why this matters to us.”

And while the judge claimed to understand why the two moms are pursuing this, he also said that “that policy decision is for the Legislature, not this court.”