A Christian couple from Woburn, Massachusetts has been stripped of their foster care license after refusing to sign a state-mandated policy that forces parents to “affirm” a child’s LGBTQIA+ identity, regardless of their own deeply held religious beliefs.
According to CBS News, Lydia and Heath Marvin, parents of three teenagers, have opened their home to eight foster children under the age of four since 2020, including a medically fragile infant who lived with them for 15 months.
The couple says their Christian faith drives their calling to care for the fatherless.
“Our Christian faith, it really drives us toward that. James says that true undefiled religion is to care for the fatherless,” Heath told CBS News.
But in April, Massachusetts’ Department of Children and Families (DCF) revoked the Marvins’ foster license after they refused to sign the agency’s LGBTQIA+ Non-Discrimination Policy.
The policy, introduced in 2022, requires foster parents to “affirm” a child’s claimed gender identity, use their chosen pronouns, and support gender-neutral practices in clothing and behavior, mandates the Marvins say they could not in good conscience endorse.
“We asked, is there any sort of accommodation, can you waive this at all? We will absolutely love and support and care for any child in our home but we simply can’t agree to go against our Christian faith in this area. And, were ultimately told you must sign the form as is or you will be delicensed,” Lydia said.
Their appeal was denied, and now, the couple is considering the next legal steps. Two other Christian foster families have joined a federal lawsuit against DCF filed by the Massachusetts Family Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom.
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Last week, the Trump administration sent a letter to DCF, addressing the lawsuit and specifically mentioning the Marvins.
“These policies and developments are deeply troubling, clearly contrary to the purpose of child welfare programs, and in direct violation of First Amendment protections,” wrote Andrew Gradison, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families.
LGBTQ+ advocates argue the policy was developed to protect kids. Massachusetts foster parents also receive a monthly stipend.
“The state has an obligation to children to make sure that they’re safe and well protected. And foster parents, they’re not parents. Foster parents are temporary. They’re a stop gap to make sure children can safely go back to their families of origin,” said Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy at GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders.
Data collection by DCF is poor but a report by the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ youth suggests that roughly 30 percent of foster children in the state could identify as LGBTQ, similar to data collected in California and New York.