AU Supporter,

“The agency seemed to think a child would be better off in state custody than with a loving family like ours."

Liz and Gabe Rutan-Ram, a Jewish couple in Knox County, Tenn., wanted to adopt a child in Florida who touched their heart. To do that, they needed to complete a state-mandated training and home-study.

But Holston United Methodist Home for Children, a state-funded agency which provides those services for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, refused to work with them. Why? Because Holston “only provide[s] adoption services to prospective adoptive families that share [its Christian] belief system.”

“I felt like I’d been punched in the gut,” said Liz Rutan-Ram. “It was the first time I felt discriminated against because I am Jewish.”

And because no other agency in their area provided the necessary services for out-of-state adoptions, the Rutan-Rams lost the chance to adopt that child.

Religious freedom is meant to be a shield that protects all of us, not a sword wielded to cause harm or discriminate against some of us. Contribute today to help AU fight back: [link removed]

AU is suing the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services on the Rutan-Rams’ behalf—and to protect the rights of every prospective parent deemed to be the “wrong religion” by an agency taking public funds, and every child awaiting a loving and stable home.

As the nation’s leading advocate for church-state separation and true religious freedom, AU has the expertise and experience to handle this case.

Help stop the misuse of religious freedom as a license to harm others. Support AU’s important legal work today: [link removed]

Unfortunately, Liz and Gabe’s story is not unique. Your support is already helping us represent Aimee Maddonna of South Carolina and Fatma Marouf and Bryn Esplin of Texas—all rejected by government-contracted, taxpayer-funded agencies because they didn’t pass religious litmus tests. We are also counsel for Kelly Easter of Tennessee, who lost her chance to foster refugee children because the federally contracted agency near her home won’t accept LGBTQ people.

We are experts on the constitutional and statutory provisions on this issue. And we know the real families who’ve suffered lasting harm caused by discrimination in the name of religion.

But these are costly cases to fight. With your help, we can go up against the government officials who fund discriminatory organizations and the powerful network of Christian nationalist lawyers representing those organizations—and we can win.

Affirm your belief in freedom without favor and equality without exception. Support Americans United now: [link removed]

With hope and gratitude,

Rachel K. Laser
President and CEO

P.S. AU won a big victory when the Biden administration rescinded—with our advocacy—a Trump administration directive allowing federally funded child-welfare providers in several states to use religious litmus tests. But that’s not the end of this fight. A victory on behalf of the Rutan-Rams will bring us much closer. Help make that happen with a generous contribution now: [link removed]

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