Comments on: Fresno hospital bars lesbian from visiting partner

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:28:15 +0000

I am a physician and I have no idea how the hospital can get away with this. Whether or not these two women were partners is irrelevant. Refusing to involve a health care proxy in a patients care regardless of the relationship between the proxy and the patient is essentially treating the patient without consent. The hospital has opened itself up to both civil AND criminal action. Thank god for the ACLU!!

By: emoxninjaxgone

emoxninjaxgone — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:10:45 +0000

Sue the bastards!

By: Steve H.

Steve H. — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:07:12 +0000

I live in Illinois. I was denied the right to be with my partner when he was in the Emergency room having a panic attack. This is why I just lie to them now and say I am a “half brother”. I should not have to lie but this goverment forces me to do what I must.

By: sydney

sydney — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:37:21 +0000

Sue ‘em.

However, the case would be a lot stronger if the couple had a CU or had gotten married while it was legal. If we want to claim the rights of marriage or not-really-marriage, we have to exercise those rights when available.

By: L.J. Rhodes

L.J. Rhodes — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:29:06 +0000

Actually, if I were in this situation, there’d be several staff members who also needed emergency treatment when I got through with them. And jail be damned. I’m more than willing to do time for this cause. They put this woman’s safety in danger by not listening to her partner, and I’d never stand by and allow hospital staff to endanger my partner in a similar fashion.

By: Dave W

Dave W — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:51:18 +0000

I was just in the hospital for 3 weeks and it was an amazing experience..two different hospitals. Everyone not only recognized my spouse but went OUT OF THEIR way to accomodate him…from the small town hospital to the special cardiac unit in Boston.

Now we are married, but in Mass it DOES NOT MATTER. You fill out a health care proxy and they MUST follow that direction.

It seems the hospital in question here either wasn’t following the law or the law is lacking.

It also seems that a MAJOR SCENE was not made. I would have been on the phone with a court officer, getting someone to come serve papers. I would have called an attorney and the police and the local DA. I would have been the loudest f’ing b….th that hospital had ever seen and would have gotten in to see my spouse.

We’ve been turned away at a restaurant…only once, and BOY did they regret it. We must demand our rights.

Not to say this is fair and that we should have to do these things, but I bet a major outbreak in the waiting room, with calls going out to lawyers and television crews would have changed things.

Did she even call the president of the hospital? Was she screaming? Did she embarass those bigots? Did she punch the ambulance driver (who is he to set policy anyway?????).

We can’t take this lying down anymore….I don’t. I threatened to sue an airline ticket agent once, I had my partners free ticket, transferable only to “family” transferred to him and printed in seconds, and the red faced agent didn’t want to but apologized to me. (something like “do you want to discuss your disfunctional family and have me pass judgement on its worthiness?…I didn’t think so”).

I know not all people are as aggressive as me, but for those that are, STAND UP AND MAKE A SCENE. As with prop 8 funders, we know people like to discriminate quietly. DO NOT LET THEM.

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:44:05 +0000

Sick, Sick, Sick! First of all, a hospital is a place of the medical and science fields not religion. If you want to study and practice theology, go to your church and praise Jebus all you want. Hospital employee’s are to help those that need help without question or demonstrating their own beliefs! To hell with haters, they’re going down with a fight! Change is on the move….

By: xxphoenixx

xxphoenixx — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:13:26 +0000

Sue! Sue! Enough is enough!

By: gyzmo

gyzmo — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:06:40 +0000

I recommend that we all not lose momentum in our movement for equality. Please get up and out there and be heard. Donate your time, a bit of money, a voice that is loud and clear.
The LGBT movement is on the MOVE again. It is as OUT THERE as is was in the beginning at Stonewall. ( I was there )and I am here now just as motivated I as I was then.
Our brothers and sisters are coming together and we will prevail.
I am for the March on Washington.
A great place to help and get news of the movement is the Courage campaign.
March on! peace and equality for all…

By: Morgan

Morgan — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:10:56 +0000

Heartless, cruel bastards! Yes, please do sue them for multi-millions! In a well-publicized and spectacular court case that will ruin their reputation before many people. That and losing millions of $$$$s is the only possible way to get their attention!