Because Guadalupe Benitez’s fertility doctors at considered themselves good Christians, they refused to treat her themselves … because she’s a gay. So, in 2001, she sued ’em, and in the end, even the California Supreme Court ruled in her favor, and against the docs, claiming their religious beliefs didn’t extend to practicing medicine. And now? They’ve settled!
Terms, of course, are undisclosed. But Benitez (pictured, left) no longer needs the help of Drs. Douglas Fenton and Christine Brody from North Coast Womens Care; she went elsewhere to be inseminated, and now has a 7-year-old and 4-year-old twins with partner Joanne Clark. (She originally went to them in 1999 because her insurance provider had an exclusive contract with their facility.)
Not that any of this should keep patients from wanting to go to North Coast Womens Care!
Both the doctors and the couple released a joint statement in which the doctors said they were sorry that Benitez and Clark felt they were being treated differently because of their sexual orientation.
The doctors said they want “all of their patients, including those who are lesbian and gay, to feel welcome and accepted in their medical practice, and are committed to treating all of their patients with equal dignity and respect in the context of the highest quality of medical care.”
The doctors contended as the case went on that they declined to do the procedure because Benitez was unmarried — not because of her sexual orientation. But there was also evidence in the case early on that the doctors had acknowledged that they did not inseminate her because she is a lesbian.
Benitez said yesterday that she is pleased that the case is over.
“It was a really hard thing to go through, but it was worth it because we have hopefully paved the way for other people, and made sure that this is not going to happen to someone else,” she said.
ZJ
“they declined to do the procedure because Benitez was unmarried — not because of her sexual orientation.”
Same difference. She *couldn’t* get married because it was against the law, based on her sexual orientation.
AlanInSLC
You ladies rock! Good for you for standing up and defending yourselves.
terrwill
I would love to “inseminate” something sideways into those doctors………….
HG
“…………it was worth it because we have hopefully paved the way for other people, and made sure that this is not going to happen to someone else,” she said.
Like “H.” This type thing never goes away !! Nobody ever learns, it just keeps repeating, and repeating until the end of time. Just any Black, Puerto Rican, or Asian. What makes anyone think it’s going to be different for Gays.
Jaroslaw
This is absurd obviously.
I was just thinking – murder, robbery, rape etc. is against most people’s religion or I would assume even an atheist’s moral code; so would a doctor ever be able to say they can’t treat a criminal in prison?
Jaroslaw
I should have followed up with “obviously not” so I don’t know why people have so many morals when it comes to Gay people.
I hate to harp, but I wish I saw the same zeal when it came to paying taxes to support an immoral war in Iraq that killed thousands of civilians; or even if you were in favor of it, how about all the government corruption in awarding outrageous contracts (think Halliburton’s $50 sodas and other company’s slipshod hospitals/schools – $100 million).
Brian
Funny how religion behaves.
terrwill
@Brian: Don’t you mean “misbehaves”?
Jason
What a lovely family.
This has made my day.
Before I go to bed, I’m sure it will be UNmade.
Bill
There is no love like Christian hate.
Jaroslaw
Bill – interesting way to put it!
Drew
Fuck these freaks – doctors had every right to deny them service
I hope these two ugly cunts die in a horrific auto accident & take all their bastard children with them. Their selfish lawsuit resulted in little more than religious persecution and discrimination.
Where the fuck their ‘tolerance’?
Oh yeah, they’re tolerant of everyone who supports their perverted lifestyle. So who is intolerant?
YellowRanger
@Drew:
They see me trollin’
They hatin’