A Christian couple from Woburn, Massachusetts, has faced the revocation of their foster care license for refusing to comply with a state-mandated policy requiring parents to “affirm” a child’s LGBTQIA+ identity, conflicting with their religious beliefs.
As reported by CBS News, Lydia and Heath Marvin, who are parents to three teenagers, began fostering in 2020, providing care for eight children under the age of four, including a medically fragile infant whom they hosted for 15 months. Their commitment to caregiving is rooted in their Christian faith, which they feel compels them to support children in need.
Heath articulated their motivation saying, “Our Christian faith drives us. James teaches that true, undefiled religion is to care for the fatherless.”
However, their journey encountered a setback in April when Massachusetts’ Department of Children and Families (DCF) revoked their license after they declined to sign the agency’s LGBTQIA+ Non-Discrimination Policy. This policy, established in 2022, mandates that foster parents affirm a child’s self-identified gender, employ preferred pronouns, and endorse gender-neutral clothing and behavior—terms the Marvins could not, in good conscience, support.
Lydia expressed their dilemma: “We queried whether any accommodations could be made. We are willing to love and support any child in our care, but we cannot, in good faith, go against our Christian values in this regard. Ultimately, we were informed that we must sign the document as is or lose our license.”
Their appeal to the decision was unsuccessful, leading the couple to contemplate further legal action. They are now part of a federal lawsuit against DCF filed alongside two other Christian foster families, supported by the Massachusetts Family Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom.
Recently, the Trump administration directed a letter to DCF regarding the lawsuit, particularly mentioning the Marvins. Acting Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, Andrew Gradison, expressed concern, stating, “These policies and developments are deeply troubling, clearly contrary to the purpose of child welfare programs, and in direct violation of First Amendment protections.”
On the opposing side, LGBTQ+ advocates argue that such policies are crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of children. Polly Crozier, Director of Family Advocacy at GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, emphasized, “The state has an obligation to ensure the protection of children. Foster parents serve a temporary role, acting as a bridge until children can safely return to their families.”
While the DCF’s data collection has been criticized as inadequate, a report from the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ youth indicates that approximately 30% of foster children in the state may identify as LGBTQ, a figure consistent with data from similar studies in California and New York.
Jim Híeft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, recognized as one of America’s leading conservative news outlets. Híeft has been honored with the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.
You can email Jim Híeft here, and read more of Jim Híeft’s articles here.
