Christian summer camp says Colorado will shut it down over gender policy

A Christian summer camp in the foothills near Bailey expects to be shut down by state regulators in the coming months unless a federal judge decides that it can legally separate campers by sex rather than by their gender identity Camp IdRaHaJe a portmanteau for I d rather have Jesus was founded in and operates week-long summer programs for children ages six to on its acres The camp expects to host to youngsters this summer according to a May lawsuit It also expects that a licensing specialist will arrive in June or July to determine whether the camp is in compliance with state regulations He or she will learn then that it is not Last year the Colorado Department of Early Childhood which licenses camps adopted new rules requiring licensees to let campers use bathrooms showers and bedrooms that align with their gender identity Camp IdRaHaJe says that it requested an exemption on religious grounds which was not granted and that it will not comply with those rules The camp s doctrinal comment which is an exhibit to its lawsuit teaches that God has immutably created each person as either male or female in His image and the differentiation of the sexes male and female is part of the divine image in the human race The ruling body has no place telling religious summer camps that it is lights out for upholding their religious beliefs about human sexuality Andrea Dill an attorney for the camp with the conservative group Alliance Defending Freedom noted in a press release Related Articles Transgender Coloradans receive new discrimination protections as Gov Polis signs bill into law Four big dynamics drove Colorado lawmakers session from defending against Trump to boosting affordability Up to transgender troops are being moved out of the military in new Pentagon order Colorado school district seeks restrictions on transgender athletes amid Trump crackdown Colorado trans protections bill after challenging journey through Capitol is heading to Gov Jared Polis The camp says that it welcomes non-Christians and in even accepted a camper who was experiencing gender dysphoria after explaining to the child and their mother that the camper must use the facilities associated with their biological sex according to the lawsuit Camp IdRaHaJe exists to present the truth of the Gospel to children who are building character and lifelong memories Dill explained But the Colorado establishment is putting its dangerous agenda that is losing popularity across the globe ahead of its kids Dill and Camp IdRaHaJe are asking U S Magistrate Judge Reid Neureiter to grant it an exception from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood s rules on gender This matter concerns pending litigation and CDEC will address it through the appropriate legal channels that agency stated in a report We have no further comment at this time Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter