Arizona Summer Camp Turns Away Trans Foster Child

Tonto Creek Camp rescinded admission for the child because the staff was not trained to accommodate trans campers.

Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.

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Tracy E. Gilchrist

July 09 2019 10:23 AM EST

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A 9-year-old transgender foster child was barred from attending Tonto Creek Camp in Payson, Ariz., even after he was awarded a scholarship to attend, according to Arizona TV station KNXV.

The child's foster mother, Amber Checky, was told that her son's registration was pulled because the camp had no staff with the training to accommodate trans kids.

"We get an email from the chief executive officer saying sorry he's not able to attend anymore and that the camp staff they had, that has a degree in this, is no longer able to attend so they would be refunding us," Checky said.

The email came in response to a request that the child be allowed to stay in the tents for the boys but that he be offered a private bathroom or one with a curtain.

Checky said that the camp bills itself as being "inclusive" with a focus on antibullying.

"How do you tell a 9-year-old who's accepted in every other aspect of their life, in their house and in their school, that they can't go to summer camp?" she asked.

A description of the staff at Tonto Creek Camp on the organization's website reads, "When it comes to connecting people with nature and educating youth, our staff are the most innovative, daring, and passionate people you're likely to come across!"