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CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: Christian Mom Wins Adoption Battle | Oregon Can’t Enforce LGBTQ+ Belief Mandate [#JessicaBates]

She wanted to adopt. Oregon said no—unless she rejected her faith. Today, she’s free to love and care for kids in need.

Hi everyone,

9th Circuit Rules in Favor of Christian Mom Jessica Bates

Jessica Bates, a devout Christian and single mother of five, has won her appeal in the 9th Circuit Court after Oregon officials denied her right to adopt based on her refusal to affirm state-mandated LGBTQ+ beliefs.

Bates had applied to adopt siblings from foster care in 2022 but was rejected for declining to support gender identity transitions—citing her religious faith.

The 9th Circuit ruled Oregon’s policy violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and religious liberty.

The decision now allows Bates to resume the adoption process, setting a major legal precedent for faith-based foster care applicants across the country.

QUESTION: Do you agree with the court’s ruling? Like this video to support faith-based adoption and share your views in the Comments section.

9th Circuit Rules in Favor of Oregon Mom in Adoption Case
In Bates v. Pakseresht, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a divided ruling on July 24, 2025, reversing a lower court decision that had blocked Jessica Bates from adopting siblings from foster care.

The court found that Oregon’s policy requiring adoptive parents to affirm a child’s gender identity and sexual orientation violates First Amendment rights of free speech and religious exercise.

Judges Daniel Bress and Michael Hawkins wrote for the majority, saying Oregon failed to justify why less restrictive means couldn’t accommodate religious beliefs while protecting LGBTQ children. Judge Richard Clifton dissented, arguing the policy regulated specific conduct rather than protected speech.

Background: The Jessica Bates Adoption Lawsuit
Jessica Bates, a single mother of five from Oregon, applied to adopt siblings from foster care in 2022. Oregon’s DHS denied her adoption certification because she would not agree to support actions like using pronouns inconsistent with a child’s sex or escorting a child to gender transition appointments—beliefs rooted in her Christian faith.

Bates clarified she would love any child, regardless of background, but would not affirm gender ideology that conflicted with her beliefs.

The denial prompted her to file suit with Alliance Defending Freedom, arguing that the state’s policy imposed an ideological test on parents and violated her constitutional rights.

Court’s Legal Reasoning
The court ruled Oregon’s policy was overly broad, excluding all prospective parents who shared Bates’s beliefs, without considering a case-by-case match that protects both religious liberty and child welfare.

The majority held that “a state’s general conception of the child’s best interest does not create a force field against the valid operation of other constitutional rights.”

The dissent asserted the policy focuses on ensuring children are respected and that limiting parental actions in that context does not necessarily constitute viewpoint-based speech regulation.
Reuters

Implications of the Ruling
Bates can now move forward with her adoption certification, free from ideological exclusion, as her lawsuit continues.

The decision may influence how other states structure adoption and foster policies regarding LGBTQ-related criteria and religious accommodations in child welfare systems.

This ruling underscores how adoption policies intersect with constitutional protections and parental rights.

“She Stood Her Ground”

“Victory for Faith & Family”

“Oregon Mom Wins Case”

“Court Overturns LGBTQ Mandate”

“Faith vs Foster Policy”

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#JessicaBates #FaithFreedom #ReligiousLiberty #AdoptionRights #FreeToParent #OregonCourt #FosterCare #ChristianParenting #9thCircuit #ADF

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