A Chicago woman and parent of a transgender child Kathy Blazer-Williams has leveled charges against both Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services ( DCFS ) that they have not only seized the transgender child of a friend but are misgendering her, referring to her with a male name and forcing her to engage in male gender-specific activities.
In a social-media post, Blazer-Williams stated that, after she was taken by DCFS, it was a month before the parents of the child named Stevie were permitted a visit.
She added that the visit left the parents "devastated."
"The hospital is only giving her boy toys," Blazer-Williams wrote. "Stevie is playing with the legos to build dolls, ghostbusters, ponies, and shopkins. They are refusing to use her name or pronouns, more importantly they are breaking this bright shiny happy child."
Blazer-Williams added that she had no idea why Stevie was taken into DCFS custody and accused Advocate Oak Lawn of having "medically kidnapped this child."
"Their reasons for taking her have changed several times, the accusations ridiculous," Blazer-Williams wrote. "For weeks the hospital has lied and deceived, even claiming that Stevie admitted to being a boy to DCFS and was 'happy, and doesn't miss you' to the parents."
She asserted that Illinois courts seem "reluctant to step in against this hospital" and appealed to the general public in restoring Stevie to her parents.
"She wants to come home.," Blazer-Williams concluded. "Advocate Children's Hospital, you don't get to keep kids when you can't "fix them. Shame on you."
The Trans Liberation Collective has organized a March 7 protest in support of Stevie and her parents.
The event will begin at 9:15 am at 1100 South Hamilton Avenue in Chicago.