Franklin Graham: ‘Appalling’ for Oregon to Put ‘Woke Ideology Above the Needs’ of Children

Evangelist Franklin Graham said it is “appalling” for Oregon to put a political agenda and “woke ideology” above the needs of children in reaction to the story of Jessica Bates — a mom of five who allegedly had her adoption application rejected over her Christian beliefs on gender and sexuality.

“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,” Graham said, noting there are thousands of children in foster care and hundreds waiting to be adopted in that state. 

“Oregon has 8,000+ children in foster care & around 200 waiting to be adopted. For the state to put their political agenda & woke ideology above the needs of these children is appalling. Thank you @ADFLegal for coming to Jessica’s aid & fighting for the rights of Christians everywhere,” he added:

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

Indeed, the ADF filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon on behalf of Bates, alleging that state officials instructed the mother to abide by the state’s woke standards on gender and sexuality.

According to the complaint, the requirement is:

[The parent must] respect, accept and support the race, ethnicity, cultural identities, national origin, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disabilities, spiritual beliefs, and socioeconomic status, of a child or young adult in the care or custody of the Department, and provide opportunities to enhance the positive self-concept and understanding of the child or young adult’s heritage.

Bates realized her faith “might conflict with some of the Department’s expectations for adoptive parents.”

“Her instructor had explained during class that—consistent with DHS regulations—parents ‘must respect, accept, and support’ a child’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. OAR § 413-200-0308(2)(k).” The complaint states that Bates was also told that adoptive parents should use a child’s preferred pronouns, regardless of his or her biological gender.

Per the complaint, one of the Resource and Adoptive Family Training (RAFT) participant handouts instructs parents to affirm their child’s “self-expression through their choices of clothing, jewelry, hairstyle, friends, and room decoration.” It also encourages leftist indoctrination, urging parents to display “‘hate-free zone’ signs or symbols indicating and LGBTQ-affirming environment (e.g. pink triangle, rainbow, or ally flag),’ ‘whether or not a youth in your care openly identifies as LGBTQ+[.]’”

As a result, Bates, who was trying to adopt a pair of siblings, stated that she would “have no problem loving them and accepting them as they are” but made it clear she “would not encourage them in this behavior.”

“I believe God gives us our gender/sex and it’s not something we get to choose. Basically, my faith conflicts with this & I just felt that I needed to let you know,” she said.

After that, the state rejected her application, citing her Christian views on gender and sex.

As Breitbart News reported:

ADF is asking the court to issue a declaration that the state’s policy related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression violates Bates’ and others’ constitutionally protected right to free speech, free association, assembly, religious exercise, and equal protection of the law.

The case is Bates v. Pakseresht in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, Pendleton Division.

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LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center