It was with some alarm that I read the story of the fundamentalist non-denominational couple who wanted to be foster parents. Their faith is important, because they claim their views about Roman Catholics are what kept them from being accepted by the state as foster parents.
During the application process, the couple had told social workers they didn’t "agree with Papism," and that they should take the Pope out of religious faith. The wife said that if they had to foster a Catholic child, they would have to live "without the Devil’s Cookie," though they maintained they would "love the sinner" but not permit them to "sin" by practicing their Catholic faith.
I think it’s pretty obvious why that fictional fundamentalist couple would not be appropriate as foster parents when they could find themselves caring for a Catholic child.
Just as it’s really obvious why the totally real Roman Catholic couple saying just as horrible things about LGBTQIA+ folks would not be appropriate as foster parents when they could find themselves caring for a LGBTQIA+ child.
A social worker’s report attached to the complaint said the couple was asked how they would feel if a child in their care identified as LGBTQ or struggled with their gender identity. [Catherine] Burke responded by saying “let’s take the T out of it” and called gender-affirming care “chemical castration,” according to the report. … Both Kitty and Michael Burke expressed hesitation around using a transgender or nonbinary person’s preferred pronouns, the social worker’s report noted.
Add to it that the totally real bigots — Michael and Catherine Burke of Massachusetts — are also suing the state to ensure they have the opportunity to discriminate against foster children.
The Burkes are not victims of religious discrimination; they are the ones committing religious discrimination, and are suing the state of Massachusetts so that they can have the opportunity to discriminate against children in the foster care system.
While I think the Burkes and I would agree that the first, fictional situation would clearly be discrimination, they appear to be completely oblivious that they are doing exactly the same thing.
But maybe — just maybe — thinking about that fictional Catholic kid might trigger some shred of empathy and understanding for the very real LGBTQIA+ kids out there suffering at the hands of religious discrimination.
Maybe.
Photo by Isabella Fischer on Unsplash