Colorado officials are attempting to force a 75-year-old Christian summer camp to allow biological males to share cabins, bathrooms, and private spaces with young girls or face shutdown and severe penalties.
Key Takeaways
- Camp IdRaHaJe in Colorado is suing to challenge state regulations requiring camps to accommodate children based on gender identity rather than biological sex
- The Christian camp, which has operated since 1948, was denied a religious exemption and now faces potential license revocation and fines
- The Colorado Department of Early Childhood’s regulations would force the camp to allow biological males to use female facilities and vice versa
- Alliance Defending Freedom is representing the camp, arguing the policy violates First Amendment religious freedom protections
- The outcome could set a precedent for religious organizations facing conflicts between faith-based principles and progressive gender ideology
Christian Camp Challenges Colorado’s Gender Identity Mandate
Camp IdRaHaJe, a Christian summer camp in Bailey, Colorado that has operated since 1948, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) over regulations that would force the camp to allow children to use facilities based on gender identity rather than biological sex. The camp, which serves children ages 6 to 17 and welcomes 2,500 to 3,000 campers annually, maintains that such compliance would directly contradict its biblical teachings on gender. The conflict emerged after Colorado’s General Assembly passed new regulations, signed by Governor Jared Polis, requiring camps to accommodate transgender-identifying children in sex-segregated spaces according to their gender identity.
The camp’s doctrinal statement explicitly affirms that God created each person as either male or female, a belief rooted in biblical teachings. Camp IdRaHaJe informs parents of its policy separating boys and girls in cabins and facilities, and while it accepts campers experiencing gender dysphoria, it expects them to abide by these policies. After requesting a religious exemption from the new regulations, the camp was denied accommodation by state officials, despite Colorado granting other types of exemptions. This rejection places the camp in an impossible position: either violate its religious convictions to retain its license or remain faithful to its beliefs and risk severe penalties.
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Elections have consequences:"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…
— Andy Webb (@PastorAndyWebb) May 21, 2025
Legal Battle Over Religious Freedom
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed the lawsuit on behalf of Camp IdRaHaJe in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The legal organization argues that the state’s enforcement of gender identity rules infringes on the camp’s First Amendment right to freedom of religion and its Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection. The camp, which has been licensed since 1995, now faces potential license revocation and substantial fines if it doesn’t comply with regulations that directly contradict its religious mission to spread the Gospel and build up believers through Christian teachings.
“The government has no place telling religious summer camps that it’s ‘lights out’ for upholding their religious beliefs about human sexuality. Camp IdRaHaJe exists to present the truth of the Gospel to children who are building character and lifelong memories. But the Colorado government is putting its dangerous agenda — that is losing popularity across the globe — ahead of its kids. We are urging the court to allow IdRaHaJe to operate as it has for over 75 years: as a Christian summer camp that accepts all campers without fear of being punished for its beliefs,” said Andrea Dill, ADF senior counsel.
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood has issued a general statement indicating it will work with faith-based groups within legal boundaries but has declined to comment specifically on the ongoing litigation. This case represents the latest front in the escalating conflict between progressive gender ideology being enforced through government regulations and religious organizations attempting to operate according to their sincerely held beliefs. Many conservative advocates view this as part of a broader pattern of government overreach into religious institutions.
Implications for Religious Organizations Nationwide
The lawsuit filed by Camp IdRaHaJe highlights the growing tension between religious liberty and gender identity policies being implemented across the country. For decades, the camp has operated with a clear mission focused on Christian teachings, including biblical views on sexuality and gender. Now, like many faith-based organizations, it faces the prospect of being forced to choose between adhering to its religious convictions or complying with regulations that directly contradict those beliefs. This case could establish an important precedent for how similar religious camps and organizations can navigate these conflicts.
“Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a lawsuit Monday with the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado on behalf of a Christian summer camp seeking to uphold its religious and commonsense beliefs about biological sex. The camp is challenging a recent Colorado Department of Early Childhood policy update that forces licensed resident camps to allow campers to use private facilities of the opposite sex,” stated an ADF press release.
If successful, the lawsuit could reinforce protections for religious organizations to operate according to their faith principles. However, if the court sides with Colorado officials, it could signal growing challenges for faith-based camps, schools, and other institutions across the nation. Many conservative parents and religious leaders are closely watching this case, concerned that government enforcement of progressive gender ideology threatens both parental rights and religious freedom. The outcome will likely influence how similar conflicts are approached in other states where traditional views on gender and sexuality increasingly clash with expanding gender identity regulations.
