Montana Governor Defends Removal of 14-Year-Old from Parents Who Opposed Gender Identity

The National Desk

Republican Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte told The National Desk (TND) Monday state officials acted within their legal limitations by removing a child from parents who objected to their transitioning gender identity.

Montana Child and Family Services (CFS) officials took custody of the 14-year-old from parents Krista and Todd Kolstad this month, according to Reduxx. The teenager is reportedly a biological female and recently began to express suicidal thoughts.

While being treated at a hospital in August, doctors began using the child’s preferred name and pronouns, which do not correspond with the child’s biological sex, according to Reduxx. The parents reportedly opposed and noted allowing their child to undergo any form of gender transition, socially or medically, was a violation of their “values, morals, and … religious beliefs.”