A couple in Indiana has lost custody of their teenage son for refusing to use the child’s preferred pronouns. The parents, Mary and Jeremy Cox are devout Catholics who do not believe in the LGBTQ+ community. This is because their religion clearly states that God creates each person as either male or female.
Therefore, to them, one’s gender at birth should be one’s gender for life. However, people who identify as transgender beg to differ. Their son came out as transgender in 2019 and asked the parents to call him by a female name and pronouns.
However, this contradicted their beliefs and religious convictions. Therefore, they felt they could not affirm their child’s preferred identity due to their faith. As they still loved their child, they sought other options to help.
They provided counseling and medical care as they were worried about their child’s mental state. However, identifying as transgender is not a mental issue that counseling can cure. The child was sad and started to have an eating disorder during this period.
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They also discussed their faith and religion with the child, hoping to reach a compromise. When they realized they could not make their child would not change their mind, they decided to call the child “A.” However, while this was ongoing, the state decided to interfere.
They charged the parents, and they lost custody of their child. While they separated the child from the parents, the eating disorder got much worse. Therefore, many argue that this is doing more harm than good.
Without a doubt, this also caused a lot of uproar in the community. Despite finding no proof of abuse or neglect, the Coxes losing custody of their child does not bode well for people. Parents are worried that a disagreement over gender identity can lead to the loss of a child.
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They also worry that this ruling affects both the child and the parents adversely. As it happened in Indiana, they fear it might happen nationwide if they don’t do something about it. The Coxes warned, “If this can happen in Indiana, it can happen anywhere.”
While the issue of gender identity is very sensitive, both parties have a solid point. For the parents, their religion does not allow the switching of sexes. In addition, they have their First Amendment rights, which allow them to practice their religion fully and freely.
On the other hand, their child also has the freedom to identify however they please. Therefore, people believe the state should not interfere in these matters. Instead, they should lay the family resolve it as a private issue.
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However, LGBTQ+ advocates disagree with this. They believe a child growing up in such an environment would be detrimental. They are prone to suicide, drug abuse, and addiction, amongst other things.
The issue is now at the Supreme Court level, and if the court declines the case, the lower court’s verdict will stand. Understandably, many parents fear this outcome greatly.
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