Oregon mother denied right to adoption after refusing radical gender ideology

TUPELO, Miss. — After Oregon mom Jessica Bates was excluded from adopting a child due to her religious beliefs, she is now free to proceed with the adoption process thanks to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Bates’ lawsuit challenged the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) rule that excluded her from adopting a child because she refused to lie to the state and say that ‘girls can be boys and vice versa.’ “I’m suing the state of Oregon for putting politics above children. I only ask for the opportunity to help those in need, yet the state is excluding me on every level — because of my faith,” Bates shared.

Walker Wildmon, CEO of AFA Action, the governmental affairs affiliate of the American Family Association, commented on the case, asserting that the government had wrongfully denied her the right to raise a child.

“Jessica Bates wasn’t denied adoption because she was unfit; she was denied because she refused to lie,” said Wildmon. “Oregon demanded she celebrate Pride, use false pronouns and support dangerous gender procedures to qualify as an adoptive parent. She stood her ground. And now, a federal court has ruled: biblical conviction is not disqualifying — it is constitutionally protected. The government has no right to punish Christians for rejecting its radical ideologies. Religious freedom doesn’t vanish just because it clashes with government agendas.”

AFA Action is a non-profit 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to advancing biblical family values in society and government by shaping public policy through education and advocacy. The mission of AFA Action is to inform and mobilize individuals to strengthen the biblical foundations of America by persuading individuals with the truth of the Gospel, challenging the lost to repent, promoting societal values that are consistent with Scripture, restraining evil and exposing the works of darkness, motivating people to take a stand on cultural and moral issues, and encouraging Christians to bear witness to the world the love of Jesus Christ. Find AFA Action Alerts here. 

For more information on the American Family Association, visit www.afa.net or follow AFA on Facebook or X.        

For more information on AFA Action, visit www.afaaction.net or follow AFA Action on Facebook or X.

To interview an AFA or AFA Action spokesperson, contact [email protected] or Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.