Washington State Will Stop Making Christian Parents Push LGBTQ Agenda on Foster Kids

Washington state has agreed to stop forcing Christian foster parents to push the LGBTQ agenda on their foster kids.

The Democrat-run state will no longer require Christian parents to fake gender pronouns or socially transition foster children in violation of their religious beliefs. That comes under a settlement reached with a couple who lost their foster-care license for refusing to compromise their faith and push the trans agenda on their foster children.

The agreement, announced May 20, includes a permanent injunction requiring the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families to revise its licensing policies. The department can no longer attach any conditions or restrictions to a foster-care license solely because of a family’s religious beliefs, including those pertaining to marriage, gender or sexual relationships.

The state also agreed to remove its regulation on using biologically incorrect pronouns and to pay $250,000 in attorneys’ fees.

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The settlement follows an April 23 federal district court ruling in DeGross v. Senn that the state’s policy plausibly violated the First Amendment. The court denied the state’s request to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Shane and Jennifer DeGross.

The DeGrosses, who hold traditional Christian beliefs on the sanctity of the human body and believe a child should embrace rather than reject their biological sex, had served as foster parents for nine years before Washington enacted the 2022 regulation. They lost their license because they could not certify compliance with the requirement to affirm a child’s made-up gender identity and use fake pronouns.

The policy, outlined in Washington Administrative Code rule 110-148-1520, restricted speech by prospective parents on topics of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression while compelling speech that aligned with the state’s perspective.

In its ruling, the court stated: “The situation would be no different if the state had restricted parental speech favoring more ‘progressive’ views of sexuality and gender identity, while compelling speech along the lines of [the DeGrosses’] more traditional understanding.”

It added: “In essence, the Department has forced the DeGrosses to choose between forfeiting their freedom of speech to obtain an unrestricted license, or upholding their beliefs surrounding SOGIE, and receiving a less-favorable license subject to certain restrictions.”

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse, who represented the DeGrosses, welcomed the outcome.

“Washington’s policy failed to respect religious diversity because it singled out applicants with traditional religious beliefs on the sanctity of the human body,” Widmalm-Delphonse said. “The DeGrosses merely asked to be treated the same as any other family—without being asked to compromise their core beliefs. This is a win-win because it will ensure more families can serve as foster parents to help meet the needs of every precious child in Washington’s foster-care system. We are thrilled to see common sense and religious liberty prevail.”

The DeGrosses sued state officials in 2024 after the department declined to issue them a standard license following an onerous renewal process, limiting placements to children age five or younger unless the couple abandoned their convictions.

The settlement ensures religious families across Washington can now foster without being required to promote gender ideology that conflicts with their faith.