Daughter Taken Away After Parents Object to Puberty Blockers
A Swiss couple is taking legal action after their 16-year-old daughter was taken away from the parents and put into a government shelter due to the parents' objection to the daughter's "gender transitioning". The parents also said that doctors have been trying to administer puberty blockers to their daughter without their consent. The case has sent shockwaves around the world and raises severe concerns over the protection of parental rights, including for Christians objecting to the transitioning of their children.
In 2021, the couple's daughter, named "C" to protect her identy, then 13 years old, suddenly announced the wish to "transition" to male without previous gender dysphoria, but following other mental health issues, possibly related to isolation during the pandemic. A local hospital diagnosed her with gender dysphoria, but the family's private psychiatrist disagreed with the diagnosis. The parents rejected the hospital's suggestion to administer hormone blockers to the teenage girl and instead chose private mental health care for their daughter.
However, in 2023, the school psychologist claimed she feared suicidal acts if "C" was not allowed to "transition", after the girl had asked to change her name and pronouns at school. The child welfare agency "Service de Protection des Mineurs" accused the parents of "abuse" for not going along with what the authorities suggested. Consequently, the girl was removed from her home, hospitalised, and put into a government shelter.
"We want our daughter to come home. We love and miss her. I can't believe that your child can be taken away just because you're trying to protect her", the Catholic mother told ADF International who have taken up the case. "We were very clear with the school, that we did not believe it was up to the school to socially transition our daughter. We learned that the school psychologist was getting in and was feeding our daughter with materials, putting her in contact with [the transgender lobby organisation] Le Refuge," the parents further said.
The school, "Le Refuge," and the Swiss Child Protection Agency brought a case against the parents in court. The parents who are trying to regain custody have already spent tens of thousands on court cases.
The actions of the Swiss authorities have been condemned by public figures, including Elon Musk, who expressed grave concerns over the erosion of parental rights. In Switzerland, regulations allow for parental consent on "transitioning" of minors to potentially be overridden following legal approval. The human right to freedom of religion, however, includes the rights of parents "to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions" (Article 18, UN ICCPR). This parental right's case, therefore, is a serious religious freedom concern as it may set a precedent for future decisions impacting Christian parents.
Sources: The European Conservative, ADF International, X (Twitter)
Image: Courtesy of ADF International
Update:
On July 31, the Court of Justice, which is the highest court in the canton of Geneva, ruled against the parents and ordered them to hand over documents under the threat of criminal charges.
“Not only has the state separated us from our daughter because we objected to her ‘transition,’ but we are now being threatened with criminal charges if we do not aid in her ‘legal transition’ by handing over legal documents. The state should not have this power. If this can happen to us, it can happen to other parents. We will not give up trying to protect our daughter and will seek to appeal this decision,” the father said, according to ADF International.
A legal “sex change” could lead to irreversible physical interventions for the daughter, including hormone drugs and body mutilating surgery. The parents have been separated from their daughter for over a year by court order.
Sources: CNA, ADF International