Couples sue Vermont for requiring gender ideology in foster care

Two couples are suing the State of Vermont for withholding foster care licenses from parents unless they agree to enforce gender ideology.

Brian and Katy Wuoti

Brian and Katy Wuoti received a foster care license from Vermont’s Department for Children and Families (DCF) issued in 2015. One DCF supervisor remarked that she “probably could not hand pick a more wonderful foster family.” Brian, a high school math teacher and Baptist pastor, helps his wife Katy homeschool their five children, including two adopted kids.

In 2021, the Wuotis applied to renew their foster care license. They were notified, however, that the DCF has a new policy that requires foster parents to “support children’s identities even if it feels uncomfortable.” This would require parents to use incorrect pronouns for children who demand them and to take them to “Pride” events if requested.

The Wuotis tried appealing to the Department. They explained to a DCF official that every child, regardless of sexual orientation or “gender identity,” will have the Wuotis’ full love and support. Embracing gender ideology, however, would force the parents to violate their beliefs.

In response, the DCF official told the Wuotis that their beliefs make them “essentially . . .  ineligible for renewal of [their] foster parent license.” In April 2022, the couple received a letter from the DCF informing them that the agency would be recommending that their license not be renewed.

Bryan and Rebecca Gantt 

Bryan and Rebecca Gantt are the proud parents of four biological children. In 2016, they applied to the DCF for a foster care license. The Gantts noted that they would be happy to adopt children affected by maternal drug and alcohol use. The DCF signaled it was impressed by the Gantts when it placed a four-month-old baby who was addicted to drugs in their care before they even received their license.

The Gantts received their license two months later, and have since adopted three children.

When they applied to renew their license in 2022, however, the Gantts were asked to rate on a scale of one to five how “accepting and supportive” they would be of a child who claimed to be homosexual or of a different gender. Like the Wuotis, the Gantts provide their children with unconditional love and support. Rebecca answered five and Bryan answered four.

The next year, the Gantts accepted an offer from the DCF to take in a baby who was soon to be born to a drug-addicted homeless woman. Before the deal was closed, however, the DCF caseworker wanted to make sure the Gantts pledged to approve any “gender identity” the child might claim years down the line.

Again, like the Wuotis, the Gantts tried explaining to the DCF that embracing gender ideology runs contrary to their beliefs. DCF employees, however, were unsympathetic and wanted to know if the Gantts were prepared to indulge the child with incorrect pronouns and Pride events. The Gantts refused, and the DCF revoked their license.

Lawsuit filed

Earlier this month, the legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom filed a federal lawsuit against the DCF on behalf of the Wuotis and the Gantts for its policy on gender ideology.

“Vermont applies this policy categorically—whether applicants want to adopt their grandchild, provide respite care for an infant for just a few hours, or foster a child who shares all of their religious views,” says the complaint. “Vermont would prefer children have no home than to place them with families of faith with these views.”