Vermont Foster Care: ‘Gender Ideology’ Mandate Reversed for Christians
Vermont Reaches Settlement, Drops ‘Gender Ideology’ Mandate for Foster Parents
Burlington, VT – In a victory for religious freedom and foster families, the state of Vermont has ended a policy requiring prospective foster parents to affirm the state’s views on gender identity and sexuality. The policy, which drew criticism from faith-based organizations and sparked a legal challenge, had led to the revocation of licenses for several foster parents who objected on religious grounds.
The Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) officially ended the policy on February 18th, following more than a year and a half of litigation. As part of a settlement, the DCF also agreed to reinstate the licenses of four foster parents who had sued the department.
The lawsuit, brought by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) on behalf of the foster parents, argued that the policy violated their First Amendment rights to free speech and freedom of religion. The families contended that the state was essentially forcing them to endorse beliefs contrary to their deeply held religious convictions as a condition of providing care for vulnerable children.
Under the previous guidelines, prospective and current foster parents were required to agree to affirm a child’s self-identified gender, even if it differed from their biological sex, and to support a child’s chosen sexuality. The guidelines encouraged foster parents to “support children’s identities even if it feels uncomfortable” and to facilitate access to LGBTQ organizations and events. They also instructed foster parents to use a child’s preferred pronouns, regardless of biological sex, and to support a child’s gender expression.
Among those affected by the policy were Pastor Brian Wuoti and his wife, Katy, who began fostering children in 2014 and later adopted two brothers. Pastor Bryan Gantt and his wife, Rebecca, who specialized in caring for children with drug dependencies or fetal alcohol syndrome, also had their licenses revoked. The Gantts have since adopted three children.
“No parent should be forced to lie to a vulnerable child about who they are, much less promote irreversible and life-altering procedures that don’t have any proven health benefits,” said ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse in a statement following the settlement. “And, unfortunately, other loving families have been unable to open their homes to children in need just because of their Christian worldview. We commend Vermont for respecting the religious diversity of foster parents and ending its exclusionary policy that deprived children of opportunities to find loving homes.”
The new policy clarifies that the DCF will not consider an applicant’s “sincerely held personal, cultural, religious, moral, or philosophical beliefs” when determining eligibility for a foster care license. It also states that the department will no longer require “endorsement or affirmation of specific identities” or the “use of particular vocabulary, prescribed language, or preferred pronouns related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or identity expression.”
The settlement marks a significant shift in Vermont’s approach to foster care licensing, prioritizing the need for more foster families over ideological alignment. Advocates for religious freedom hailed the decision as a crucial step in ensuring that qualified individuals are not excluded from providing loving homes for children in need.