Stop the hate, free Kate: Teen charged with felonies for same-sex relationship with minor

Kate Hunt, a high school senior in Florida, was expelled from school and charged with two felony counts as the result of her consensual relationship with a younger partner.

Normally, Kate would have been protected by Florida’s “Romeo and Juliet” law, which allows a young sex offender’s record to be cleared if their “victim” was a minor who was fewer than four years younger than the partner and willingly participated in the relationship.

However, Kate’s case is setting up to be a historic battle because of one factor: Her partner was another girl, whom Kate started dating when she was 17.

In a post on the “Free Kate” Facebook page, Kate’s father explained the girls developed a relationship while they both played on their high school’s basketball team.

“The girl’s mother found out about the relationship, and, as the track coach and Criminal Justice teacher told me, the girl’s mother said that there’s no way her daughter could be gay,” Steve Hunt wrote. “The mother then took reigns and is now attempting to place felony charges upon my own daughter.”

According to LBGTQ Nation, after charges were brought about by her girlfriend’s parents, Kate was arrested and charged with two felony counts of “lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12-16 years of age.”

“They are out to destroy my daughter, because they feel like she ‘made’ their daughter gay,” Kate’s mother, Kelley Hunt Smith told The Examiner. “They see being gay as wrong and they blame my daughter. Of course, I see it 100% differently. I don’t see or label these girls as gay. They are teenagers in high school experimenting with their sexuality — with mutual consent. And even if their daughter is gay, who cares? She is still their daughter.”

If convicted, the 18-year-old would face up to 15 years in prison and would have to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life.

As an alternative, she was offered a plea deal by the prosecution. If she accepts the deal, Kate would be sentenced to two years house arrest during which time she could only go to school or work. Afterward, she would serve one year probation and have to attend sex offender counseling.  The judge — who presides over a very conservative district — would determine whether Kate would have to register as a sex offender.

Kate’s mother said her daughter has until Friday to decide if she’ll accept the deal or go forward with a trial.

While Kate is making the difficult decision, her parents are working to rally the community around their daughter. In addition to the Facebook page, Kate’s father began a petition on Change.org. The page has already gained more than 150,000 supporters, including actress Evan Rachel Wood.

One of the family’s primary goals is for the state legislature to reassess the Romeo and Juliet law’s coverage.

The law needs to change, not only to protect Kate, but to protect the millions of teenagers, boys and girls, straight and gay, whose lives are regularly ruined because parents disapprove of their children’s sexual choices. We want justice for all 18-year-old high school seniors who have undergone criminal prosecution for exercising poor judgement in their dating life. Such students are not predators. They’re just kids.

Do you think Kate Hunt should face charges?