Catholic parents contest state custody of trans teen after school-led transition
In Massachusetts, Joseph and Arlene Kutzko are suing to regain custody of their 17-year-old daughter Sophie, who was removed by child protective services after her high school allegedly facilitated her gender transition without the parents’ knowledge.
Joseph and Arlene Kutzko, a Catholic couple from Massachusetts, are fighting a state custody case involving their 17-year-old child, Sophie. Child protective services removed Sophie in 2024 after the Northborough high school reportedly introduced LGBTQ lessons that contradicted the family’s faith and subsequently guided her through a gender transition without parental involvement. The parents claim they only learned of the situation when the school alerted authorities.
Backed by the Child and Parental Rights Campaign, they argue that the administration of high-dose testosterone is not ordinary medical care and therefore requires either parental consent or a judicial waiver. Their lawyer, Vernadette Broyless, says a provisional order has blocked the hormone treatment pending a final hearing, while the Kutzkos seek to reunite with their daughter. Earlier accusations of physical abuse against Joseph Kutzko have been dismissed, and the couple remains barred from contacting Sophie, which the attorney says is the minor’s choice.
Why it matters
The case highlights tensions between parental rights, religious beliefs, and state involvement in transgender youth care.
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