Oregon Denies Woman’s Adoption Request Because She’s Christian

A woman in Oregon was denied her adoption request due to her Christian beliefs.

Jessica Bates who is a mother of five children wanted to adopt an extra child but was denied her adoption request due to her Christian views on gender.

The Oregon Department of Human Services the ones responsible for denying Bates request told Bates in order to adopt she must allow the child to choose their own gender identity and not interfere with the child’s decision if they wish to become trans.

Just in case you wanted to know how the groomers at the Oregon Department of Human Resources roll….https://t.co/oAC4qRvGUB

— Mindy Robinson 🇺🇸 (@iheartmindy) April 4, 2023

Here’s what the Washington Examiner reported:

A Christian mother is suing the state of Oregon over its alleged refusal to allow her to adopt children over her conservative views on gender.

Jessica Bates, a mother of five who lost her husband, wanted to adopt another child. She saw it as her Christian duty. Her request was rejected, however, because she refused to comply with a stipulation demanding that adopting parents “respect, accept and support … the sexual orientation, gender identity, [and] gender expression” of children, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom. The ADF is representing Bates in the case Bates v. Pakseresht.

The group filed the lawsuit on her behalf, claiming the state is violating her First Amendment rights.

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“I reported to my certifier because they really emphasized the sexual orientation and gender identity training, that you have to support it,” Bates said in an interview with Fox News.

“I emailed her and told her I couldn’t do that because of my faith, and then we had a phone call, and because I wouldn’t take a child for cross-sex hormone injections, I was basically told that I’m ineligible to adopt in the state of Oregon,” she said.

Here’s what Franklin Graham had to say:

Jessica Bates has 5 children & wants to adopt 2 siblings who are in foster care, but she was denied because she expressed concerns during Oregon's progressive instruction on gender-related issues. Oregon has 8,000+ children in foster care & around 200 waiting to be adopted. For…

— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) April 6, 2023

Because widowed mother Jessica Bates opposes cross-sex hormones for kids, Oregon officials told her she is ineligible to adopt children.

Oregon's religious discrimination is unconstitutional and hurts children in need. | @WSHStand ⬇️ https://t.co/4loqkUqM0n

— Alliance Defending Freedom (@ADFLegal) April 16, 2023

Per the Washington Stand:

The state of Oregon refused to allow a Christian mother of five to adopt two children after she said her religion would not let her take a young minor to receive cross-hormone injections — a policy that could prevent up to 78% of Americans from adopting children. Requiring adoptive parents to facilitate transgender procedures acts as a form of religious discrimination against many world religions, her attorneys say.

Jessica Bates has sued five Oregon state employees for adoption guidelines that effectively say, “Conservative Christians need not apply,” according to her legal brief. Oregon state law requires all would-be adoptive parents to “respect, accept and support” the adoptee’s professed “sexual orientation, gender identity, [and] gender expression.” Bates said mandatory classes in the state’s adoption application process said this included using a child’s preferred pronouns, presenting same-sex relationships in a positive light, and taking children who identify as LGBT to transgender procedures.