Oliver* and his wife are homestay parents in Queensland who were given care of an adolescent international student (who was a biological female) studying at a local school. Subsequent to the placement and after the school hosted a transgender activist, the student began presenting as a boy. The student exhibited some sexualised behaviour which worried Oliver and his wife. Concerned for the child’s safety but not wanting to cause distress, Oliver did not approach the student directly but raised the matter with the school and advised he could not in good conscience support or affirm her behaviour because of his Christian beliefs about sex and gender. The school branded them “unsafe” and removed the student from their care within 48 hours of contact from Oliver. Oliver and his wife are deeply distressed about the way they were treated.
