2008 Woodie Awards
Sex change fiasco to go to court?
Hospital refuses to administer sex change operation; humiliates transgender patient
Nicole McRuiz
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: World Views
With most of the big news stories of the last few weeks revolving either around George W. Bush's trip to the Middle East or Hillary Clinton's little "woe is me" act, it is good to know that there is still room for a story that appeals to the slightly more sensationalist American reader.
Charlene Hastings, a 57-year-old San Francisco resident, recently announced that she is going to court against Seton Medical Center of Daly City, California because the hospital refused to perform a breast augmentation on her. What is the catch? Hastings was born a man. The transgender woman has already had one major sex change operation, and claims that the breast augmentation will make her look and feel truly feminine.
Hastings decided to go to Seton Medical Center because the plastic surgeon, who performed her major surgery, is affiliated with the hospital. Formerly under the control of the large system of hospitals known as Catholic Healthcare West, Seton Medical Center became a property of the Daughters of Charity Healthcare System six years ago. Transgender operations were allowed to be performed at Seton before this change, but in 2006, Daughters of Charity found out about the surgeries and promptly stopped performing all transgender operations.
Vice President of communications for the hospital system, Elizabeth Nikels, said in a statement that, "Vincentian and Catholic values form the basis of our identity and set the parameters for our ethics and standards of behavior in health care." She went on to say that, "Seton Medical Center provides medically necessary services to all individuals. However, the hospital does not perform surgical procedures contrary to Catholic teaching; for example, abortion, direct euthanasia, transgender surgery or any of its related components."
Kristina Wertz, however, claimed that Seton Medical Center's above policy has created, "significant barriers" to providing healthcare. Additionally, Shannon Minter, legal director of the Center for Lesbian Rights claimed that, "They should be ashamed of themselves for turning away anybody because of their identity."
Charlene Hastings, a 57-year-old San Francisco resident, recently announced that she is going to court against Seton Medical Center of Daly City, California because the hospital refused to perform a breast augmentation on her. What is the catch? Hastings was born a man. The transgender woman has already had one major sex change operation, and claims that the breast augmentation will make her look and feel truly feminine.
Hastings decided to go to Seton Medical Center because the plastic surgeon, who performed her major surgery, is affiliated with the hospital. Formerly under the control of the large system of hospitals known as Catholic Healthcare West, Seton Medical Center became a property of the Daughters of Charity Healthcare System six years ago. Transgender operations were allowed to be performed at Seton before this change, but in 2006, Daughters of Charity found out about the surgeries and promptly stopped performing all transgender operations.
Vice President of communications for the hospital system, Elizabeth Nikels, said in a statement that, "Vincentian and Catholic values form the basis of our identity and set the parameters for our ethics and standards of behavior in health care." She went on to say that, "Seton Medical Center provides medically necessary services to all individuals. However, the hospital does not perform surgical procedures contrary to Catholic teaching; for example, abortion, direct euthanasia, transgender surgery or any of its related components."
Kristina Wertz, however, claimed that Seton Medical Center's above policy has created, "significant barriers" to providing healthcare. Additionally, Shannon Minter, legal director of the Center for Lesbian Rights claimed that, "They should be ashamed of themselves for turning away anybody because of their identity."
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