Massachusetts Couple Loses Foster License Over LGBTQ Policy
Lydia and Heath Marvin say the state’s policy conflicts with their religious beliefs and are considering joining a federal lawsuit.
A Woburn, Massachusetts couple lost their foster license after refusing to sign a Department of Children and Families (DCF) form requiring them to support gender-affirming care for LGBTQ youth.
Lydia and Heath Marvin, whose license was revoked in April 2025, had fostered eight children under the age of four since 2020. The couple said their religious beliefs prevented them from promising a “safe, affirming, and discrimination-free environment” for LGBTQ children.
“We asked, is there any sort of accommodation, can you waive this at all?” Lydia told CBS Boston. “We simply can’t agree to go against our Christian faith in this area.”
The Marvins appealed the loss of their license but were unsuccessful. They are now considering joining a federal lawsuit, which currently includes two other fundamentalist Christian foster families represented by the Massachusetts Family Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom in their case against the DCF.
“There is a speech component and also a religious liberty component to the lawsuit,” said Sam Whiting, an attorney with the Massachusetts Family Institute.
The Trump administration has also weighed in on the matter, citing the Marvins’ case by name and criticizing the DCF’s gender-affirming policy requirement.
“These policies and developments are deeply troubling, clearly contrary to the purpose of child welfare programs, and in direct violation of First Amendment protections,” wrote Andrew Gradison, acting assistant secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, in a letter condemning the policy.
While conservative groups and federal officials have criticized gender-affirming policies, ensuring protections for LGBTQ youth within the U.S. foster care system remains a critical priority for advocates.
Research shows that youth in the U.S. foster care system are more likely to identify as LGBTQ than their peers. A 2019 study by Children’s Rights found that 30.4% of foster youth identify as LGBTQ, with 5% identifying as transgender — compared to 11.2% and 1.17% of youth not in foster care, respectively.
LGBTQ youth in foster care face significant challenges, including placement instability, limited access to supportive adult relationships, and a higher likelihood of discrimination from caseworkers, program staff, and foster parents, according to the Global Health Justice Partnership.
A Children and Youth Services Review article noted that foster families “can have a profound impact on a youth’s sense of permanence and safety in care.”
“I knew that if I could talk to them about things like my feelings and my boyfriend, then there probably wasn’t anything I couldn’t be open about,” said one former foster youth.
Research consistently links supportive actions by parents and caregivers to greater self-esteem, stronger relationships, and lower suicide risk among LGBTQ youth. According to The Trevor Project, such actions can include being welcoming to a child’s LGBTQ friends or partner, speaking respectfully about their identity, and engaging openly in conversations about LGBTQ issues.
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