A new civil rights lawsuit filed in Minnesota alleges that state and county agencies failed to protect a transgender girl in foster care, placing her in unsafe and discriminatory conditions despite repeated warnings about her vulnerability.
The case, S.R. v. Minnesota Department of Corrections and Swift County, was filed by the advocacy organization Gender Justice on behalf of a minor identified as S.R. The lawsuit states that Swift County and a state-licensed group home disregarded the child’s gender identity, ignored her requests for safe placement, and allowed harassment to continue unchecked. It also claims that the Minnesota Department of Corrections, which licenses the facility, failed to intervene.
According to the complaint, S.R. entered foster care at age 12 and informed officials that she was a transgender girl. She specifically asked not to be placed in a boys’ facility and requested a supportive and LGBTQ-affirming environment. Instead, the lawsuit states that she was placed in a group home where all living arrangements and programming were assigned according to biological sex. This decision, advocates say, put her at risk from the start.
Gender Justice alleges that S.R. immediately faced bullying, invasive personal questions, and repeated incidents of sexual harassment from peers in the facility. The complaint says these conditions were well known to both Swift County and the facility’s leadership, yet no action was taken to move her or correct the unsafe environment. The organization says S.R. repeatedly asked for help and that her family also raised concerns, but the facility continued to house her with boys.
The lawsuit argues that these actions violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in public services and state-licensed programs. It also cites violations of the Minnesota Constitution’s equal protection guarantees. Attorneys say the treatment S.R. received is inconsistent with state law and with basic child welfare standards intended to protect young people in foster placements.
“Transgender youth in Minnesota deserve safety, respect, and care that affirms who they are,” said Sara Jane Baldwin, senior staff attorney at Gender Justice. “When a facility and the agencies overseeing it ignore a child’s identity and fail to respond to harassment, that child is left exposed to real harm. This case shows why accountability matters.”
Advocacy groups highlight the disproportionate representation of LGBTQ youth in foster care systems nationwide, where they frequently experience higher rates of mistreatment. Supporters of the lawsuit say that ignoring a child’s gender identity can contribute to long-term trauma and prevent them from accessing the supportive environments they need to thrive.
The lawsuit asks the court to require the state and county agencies to comply with anti-discrimination laws and adopt stronger protections for transgender youth in placement settings. Gender Justice is also encouraging current foster youth who have faced discrimination to contact the Minnesota Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson.
Legal observers say the case highlights growing national concerns over how child welfare systems treat transgender youth. Advocates hope it pushes Minnesota to strengthen oversight and ensure that no child is placed in an environment that disregards their identity.
