An Oregon mother of five believes she was denied adoption of two siblings over her religious beliefs concerning gender, and now she is suing the state.
Meanwhile, she continues to raise her five children after her husband died.
Jessica Bates reported that her troubles began after she was in the adoption process for a few months and completed some of the mandatory training. The Christian mother said the workers clearly emphasized gender identity training and orientation matters.
Bates said she emailed the certifier and informed her that she could not support such “treatments” due to her faith. A phone call ensued.
It was then that the prospective adoptive parent was told that due to her unwillingness to transport a child for hormone injections related to gender that she was ineligible to adopt in Oregon.
Jessica Bates is willing and able to adopt two children in Oregon. The state said "No," because she said she believes "God gives us our gender/sex and it’s not something we get to choose.” @NRO https://t.co/eGs4srdBK8
— Ryan Mills (@RyanAMills77) April 3, 2023
The state’s adoption application declared that prospective parents must “respect, accept, and support the orientation, gender identity, [and] gender expression” of minors.
This, according to Christina Kiefer of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), was just another glaring example of placing “ideology and politics over children.”
Bates was told in September that her adoption process was now on hold due to her conflict with the state’s gender platform. Two months later she received a formal denial.
Keifer said the Oregon agency claimed to welcome “people from all cultural and religious backgrounds to adopt.” That is, unless they disagree with the state’s gender ideology.
Then the potential parents are banished, much to the detriment of children in need.
As the ADF tweeted, “‘Gender-affirming care’ bends reality, hurts vulnerable children, and is anything but healthcare.” The organization’s legal counsel, Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse, declared that the beliefs of millions of Americans now make them “unfit” to care for children.
Keifer expressed her hope that Oregon officials correct the issue and permit Bates to go through with the adoption. The Christian mother agreed, saying the “discriminatory policy” should be dropped to prevent other prospective parents from encountering the same barriers she now faces.
The gates for adoption in recent years have swung wide open to include people who would never have been considered decades ago. Apparently, however, they are nailed shut — at least in one state — to traditional Christians who refuse to bend the knee to radical gender ideology.
