Oregon Blocks Christian Mother From Adopting Children For Refusing To Facilitate Transgender Treatment
Jessica Bates is a Christian mother of five and a widower in rural Malheur County, Oregon.
She is unapologetic about her faith. And thus opposes radical gender identity theory, such as sex change surgery for children.
And for those reasons, Bates says the state barred her from adopting children.
Bates started applying to adopt a child from Oregon’s foster care system last year. But the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) denied her application.
Ultimately, the agency sent Bates a letter in November informing her that her application had been denied because her beliefs violated Section 413-200-0308(2)(k) of the Oregon State Code governing foster home certification.
According to KPTV, the rejection cites Bates' unwillingness to abide by the Oregon State Code requiring that foster parents must “respect, accept, and support … the sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression” of an adopted child.
The ODHS encourages potential adoptive parents to display symbols conducive to “an LGBTQ-affirming environment,” to use LGBTQ-affirming language, and attend LGBTQ “community events such as Pride parades."
Most notably, the ODHS asks parents to facilitate transgender treatment if the child requests such.
Different types of sexuality: Transgenders and Bisexuals. LGBTQ community. Concept. Flat editable vector illustration, clip art
CBS NEWS BANS WORD ‘TRANSGENDER’ FROM NASHVILLE SCHOOL SHOOTING COVERAGE
Specifically, the lawsuit details an ODHS official letter asking Bates whether she would hypothetically support providing children with cross-sex hormones -- to which she responded in a letter calling the process "child abuse."
Bates was not willing to participate in genital mutilation, scarring a child for eternity. And for that, she could not add a sixth child to her home.
As a result, Bates filed a federal complaint against officials with the Oregon Department of Human Services on Monday. The suit alleges the agency held Bates' faith against her in the adoption process.
“I don’t know how many children there are out there under the age of 9 who fall into this category (and to me it’s kind of crazy that society is wanting to get kids thinking about this stuff at such young ages; I think we should let them keep their innocence), so this may not even be an issue,” Bates wrote to the official, according to the lawsuit.
“I have no problem loving them and accepting them as they are, but I would not encourage them in this behavior. I believe God gives us our gender/sex, and it’s not something we get to choose."
In addition, ADF Legal Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Alphonse added the following:
“Oregon’s policy makes a sweeping claim that all persons who hold certain religious beliefs — beliefs held by millions of Americans from diverse religious faiths — are categorically unfit to care for children,” ADF Legal Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement.
“That’s simply not true. Oregon is putting its political agenda above the needs of countless children who would be happy to grow up in a loving, Christian home like Jessica’s. We urge the court to remind the state of its constitutional and moral obligations and reaffirm Jessica’s First Amendment right to live out her faith without being penalized by the government.”
Translation: Oregon is enabling child abuse, excluding parents who seek to protect children from self-inflicted harm from the adoption process.
Oregon permits only parents willing to assist in young kids chopping off their body parts for cosplay to adopt.