In a major victory for religious freedom, the state of Colorado has agreed to exempt faith-based children’s camps from its transgender accommodation licensing requirements. The decision follows a federal lawsuit filed by Camp IdRaHaJe, a Christian summer camp in Bailey, Colorado, which challenged the state’s mandate to allow campers access to showers, sleeping, and dressing facilities based on gender identity rather than biological sex. The camp, which has operated since 1948 and serves thousands of children each year, argued that the regulation would force it to abandon its biblical convictions or risk losing its license. In the settlement reached June 25, Colorado’s Department of Early Childhood agreed not to enforce the rules on Camp IdRaHaJe or similarly situated religious camps, affirming that facilities primarily used for religious purposes are not considered “places of public accommodation” under state law.

Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented the camp, celebrated the outcome as a significant step in defending ministries from being forced to comply with what it called “dangerous ideology.” Legal counsel Andrea Dill emphasized that the government should not compel Christian ministries to violate their beliefs about human sexuality. The camp, which welcomes children of all backgrounds, can now continue its mission of sharing the Gospel without fear of legal reprisal. Colorado also agreed not to penalize the camp in any way for adhering to its beliefs. With this settlement, ADF attorneys filed a notice of dismissal in the case, closing the legal chapter with a resounding affirmation of the camp’s right to operate in accordance with its faith.

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SOURCE: Decision Magazine