WA agrees to allow religious families to foster kids in settlement with couple who lost license over refusing to use child's preferred pronouns

Washington state has agreed to a permanent injunction allowing religious families who refuse to promote gender ideology to serve as foster parents. This comes after the state refused to renew a full foster care license for Shane and Jennifer DeGross, a couple who rejected using a child's "preferred pronouns," citing religious objections to socially "transitioning" children.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing the DeGrosses, announced the settlement in a press release. "Washington's policy failed to respect religious diversity because it singled out applicants with traditional religious beliefs on the sanctity of the human body," said ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse. "The Degrosses merely asked to be treated the same as any other family—without being asked to compromise their core beliefs. This is a win-win because it will ensure more families can serve as foster parents to meet the needs of ever previous child in Washington's foster-care system. We are thrilled to see common sense and religious liberty prevail."

Shane and Jennifer DeGross had previously served as foster parents in Washington for nine years, but state officials declined to renew their full license in 2022 under a rule requiring foster parents to use a child’s chosen pronouns. The state prohibited the couple from caring for a foster child above the age of five unless they "agreed to abandon their religious convictions," the ADF said. The couple sued in 2024, citing religious discrimination.

The state previously settled a separate case regarding a couple who sought to care for their great-granddaughter, but wouldn't allow the child to transition genders.

Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is prohibited under the agreement from "denying foster family home license applicants, or licensed foster parents seeking renewal of their license, a full license consistent with the requests of the applicant/licensee or attaching any conditions or restrictions to the license solely because of their religious beliefs, including speech and actions pertaining to marriage, gender, or sexual relationships."

The DCYF has also agreed to update its administrative code relating to licensing requirements for prospective parents, and is "prohibited from requiring foster parents to agree to use prescribed words or language, including chosen pronouns, to express views about sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression inconsistent with their sincerely held religious beliefs as a condition of licensure."