A couple in Indiana has asked the United States Supreme Court to intervene after their child, who is “transgender,” was taken from their home by the state when they refused to use his chosen name and pronouns.
The parents, Mary and Jeremy Cox, are Catholic. The couple did not address their son by his preferred name and pronouns because it does not align with their religious beliefs (via Fox News):
In 2019, Mary and Jeremy's son told them that he identified as a girl, but in line with their Catholic religious beliefs that God created human beings with an immutable sex, male or female, they did not believe in referring to him using pronouns and a name inconsistent with his biology.
In addition, the Coxes believed their son was struggling with underlying mental health conditions, including an eating disorder, so they sought therapeutic care for both.
In 2021, state officials began investigating the Coxes. The teen was then removed from their custody and placed in a so-called “gender-affirming” home.
"This is what every parent is afraid of," Mary and Jeremy Cox said in a press release. "We love our son and wanted to care for him, but the state of Indiana robbed us of that opportunity by taking him from our home and banning us from speaking to him about gender."
"We are hopeful that the Justices will take our case and protect other parents from having to endure the nightmare we did," they added.
Reportedly, when the case was first heard in a trial court, Indiana officials claimed that the child belonged in a home where they would be accepted as a girl.
"Keeping a child away from loving parents because of their religious beliefs—even when the state admits there was no abuse or neglect—is wrong and it’s against the law," Lori Windham, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, reportedly said. "The Court should take this case and make clear that other states can’t take children away because of ideological disagreements."
NEW: Catholic Indiana couple appeals to Supreme Court after their child was taken from them after they refused to refer to him as his preferred pronouns.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 21, 2024
Utter insanity.
In 2021, the Indiana Department of Child Services investigated parents Mary and Jeremy Cox and later took… pic.twitter.com/XsFRBKoadn
Late last month, Townhall covered how a family in Glasgow, Montana reportedly lost custody of their daughter after they expressed disapproval for her gender transition.