Viewpoints
Opinion

I Was Barred From Adopting for Opposing Gender Transitioning—Until a Court Overturned the Decision

State policy bars people who hold such beliefs from adopting. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said that that’s unconstitutional.
I Was Barred From Adopting for Opposing Gender Transitioning—Until a Court Overturned the Decision
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Commentary
Every year in Oregon, thousands of children spend time in the state’s foster care system. In fiscal year 2023, children who eventually left the system spent a median time of 23.4 months in the state’s custody. For those eventually adopted, the latest available data show that the median time was even longer: 34.6 months. And every month, the state houses some children in “temporary lodgings.” This could mean an overnight stay in a hotel or a night on the floor of a social worker’s office.
Jessica Bates
Jessica Bates
Author
Jessica Bates is a mother of five living in Malheur County, Oregon.