Doctors Office Gave Lesbian Anti-Gay Literature

[matcom]

<snip>

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A 36-year-old lesbian has filed a state complaint against a doctor and physician's assistant alleging she was given literature condemning homosexuality as "sinful and sexually impure" after a routine appointment.

Jamie Beiler, formerly of Kissimmee, saw physician's assistant Dawn Pope-Wright on March 11, 2005, for a bronchitis checkup because her normal doctor was on vacation, according to a Jan. 27 complaint filed with the Division of Medical Quality Assurance.

Beiler's sexuality was noted in her medical file, but unmentioned during the appointment, her lawyers said.

When she opened up an envelope Pope-Wright left at the checkout counter, she was shocked to find photocopied pages including Bible verses that denounced homosexuality and asserted God can help her change.

"The information that Ms. Pope-Wright gave to Ms. Beiler was derogatory and offensive, and completely disrespected her right to dignity and privacy," the complaint says.

Also named in the complaint is Dr. John R. Hartman, who allegedly deflected Beiler's concerns when she complained to the office.

Two telephone messages left at Hartman's office, one with an office manager, during business hours were not immediately returned. An office employee said Pope-Wright no longer worked there, and she couldn't be otherwise reached by The Associated Press.

Lawyers Karen Doering and Shelbi Day, who co-authored the complaint on Beiler's behalf, also filed a similar one with her insurer, Cigna HealthCare. The health care company also did not immediately comment.

Doering, senior counsel for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said Pope-Wright was inappropriately using her job to distribute religious and political beliefs.

"It was just a routine follow-up visit," she said. "It had absolutely nothing to do with her sexual orientation."

http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/6688800/detail.html

[MountainLaurel]

1. Good grief

Some people are just a complete waste of oxygen.

[Love Bug]

2. Why is her sexuality noted in her medical file in the first place?

I'll bet none of their heterosexual patients have THEIR sexuality noted in their file.

I'm sure Pope-Write will be sobbing at church Sunday about how she's being persecuted...

[eyesroll]

3. My doc's form didn't ask for sexual orientation, but it did ask whether

I had sex with men, women, or both -- so if her doc uses a similar form, it's probably there for everyone.

[MountainLaurel]

4. It can often be relevant

Particularly for lesbians, because those who have never birthed children may have an increased risk of certain cancers.

[calico1]

7. But I am a heterosexual woman who has

never had children and I face the same risks. No person in the medical field has ever asked me about my sexual orientation.

[Momgonepostal]

16. I can see it coming up

A nurse practitioner friend who worked in an OB/GYN practice typically gives out BC advice to women who have just had babies. She said she's sometimes been stopped by new mothers who tell her they don't need birth control information, because they don't have sex with men.

It's certainly possible that her it came up in conversation and was noted in her chart.

I don't agree with suing the insurance company, though. It's not their fault the doctor hired a judgmental quack.

[bertha katzenengel]

5. Because there are very good reasons for your doctor to know

if you're a lesbian. For example, straight women are more prone to many infections & diseases because of intercourse. Too, some physicians track lesbian health - not much is known about other differences.

[Gormy Cuss]

24. That's why this dimwitted PA should have her license revoked.

And the physician who defended her action should be fined. The information is there to inform the doctor, not create a scarlet 'L' for the patient.
There is no justification for proselytizing in a doctor's office, or pharmacy for that matter. I wonder how many other patients received her 'gifts.' I doubt lesbians were the only ones who were in need of her tacky little inserts. What about women who've had abortions or bore children outside of marriage? Women on the pill or other BC? Why, she could go through reams of paper in a week with all those unsaved hellbound patients.

I agree with Misunderestimator. A lawsuit is the only way to make them stop.

[CanuckAmok]

14. It's becoming more common.

I actually don't mind; I think, at least here, the data is kept to highlight if the patient might be part of a demographic which is statistically more succeptable to certain diseases.

[Benfea]

29. Ack.

Thanks to this story, homosexuals have a motivation to lie to their doctors ("No really, I'm hetero"), which would seriously skew any data analysis in unpredictable ways.

[bertha katzenengel]

6. If this had happened to me, I would have demanded to see the

PA immediately, before I left. I would have explained to her why her giving me that literature was inappropriate. I would have told her I was insulted that she did it so passive-aggressively. I would have explained that I know WHY she did it passive-aggressively -- because she figured it might be illegal. And I would have told her that she is a bigot, and that beyond my physical health, my sex life is none of her business.

I then would have complained to her boss.

And then I would have left it at that.

[Misunderestimator]

8. I would have done all that... and then I would have sued.

Them hearing all that from you will not prevent them from spreading their hate to the next patient.

:hi:

[bertha katzenengel]

11. Maybe it's because I work in Washington, DC.

More litigation. More laws.

Why can't we just settle things among ourselves sometimes?

:hi: Missing you.

[Misunderestimator]

12. I really wish we could settle things among ourselves.

But people like that aren't reasonable. Unfortunately, they need to be stopped and there's only one way to do that.

Miss you too... haven't been posting a whole lot lately... swamped with work. :hug:

[laheina]

41. Here, here. nt

[Momgonepostal]

17. I think that would have been a great way to handle it nt

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. The good Doctor seems to be taking her own surname too literally. -nt

[Richardo]

15. She's the PA, not the doctor.

I think you're confusing the audience.

BUT: Point well-taken :rofl:

[donheld]

10. This pisses me off too

I dare any doctor to do that to me.

[Squatch]

18. Why, what are you going to do?

Go to another doctor?

[libnnc]

13. This is why lesbians don't go to the doctor!!!!!

Lesbians are more likely to suffer from serious illnesses because WE DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SEEKING PREVENTATIVE CARE. I know, I've experienced it too. I went to the Gyn doc for the first (and only) time years ago. Here were the questions I was asked.

~Are you married or divorced?
~Are you sexually active?
~If so, what kind of birth control do you use?

Now when I answered, "I've never been married. Yes, I'm sexually active. No, I don't use any contraception." The PA looked at me like I had three heads. "What do you mean you don't use contraception?!?!?" "I'm a lesbian." I said. She rolled her eyes and said very disgusted, "Well, none of this applies to you then..."

So as lesbians, we're treated in the doctor's office as either freaks or sexless non-persons. Nice, huh?

:mad:

[elshiva]

20. Yes, these are reasons why I hate going to the doctor!

:hug:

[realisticphish]

22. i don't see

how a rational person wouldn't just say "OH, ok, that makes sense" and move on.

[hunter]

19. This is malpractice.

This sort of behavior kills people.

Ms. Pope-Wright shouldn't be working as a physician's assistant.

The instant the doctor heard of this he should have called his lawyers and his malpractice reps to terminate Ms. Pope-Wright's employment, and to make things right with Ms. Beiler.

In terms of risk to the patient, this is exactly the equivalent of a physician's assistant forging prescriptions or using unsterilized equipment. If the doctor knew this sort of thing was going on, he is also at fault.

[Deja Q]

21. Why not? Freedom of speech.

Clients can go elsewhere or demand equal time for pro-GLBT information if they care.


BTW: I've had to do that. Go elsewhere after demanding failed. I've no time to deal with the jerkwads.

[Misunderestimator]

25. Oh bullshit. I suppose you support pharmacists who refuse to fill birth..

control prescriptions too? What if all doctors gave this literature to patients? Going elsewhere is the weak thing to do.

[Thtwudbeme]

27. I don't think this falls under freedom of speech....I think "defamation of

character" or something along those lines.

I would sue the fuck out of them; this is offensive as hell.

This is not a "so what" issue.

[hunter]

35. No, this is straightforward malpractice.

Patients trust that medical professionals will not tell them they are sinners, only the practical consequences of their situation.

If patients do not feel they can confide in their caregivers, than the care they recieve may be inappropriate, and perhaps harmful. In this worst case scenario, this physicians assistant may have discoraged people from seeking medical care for potentially life threatening situations. You've got to wonder how many people in danger of contracting STD's, or actually having STD's never returned to that office, or any doctor's office.

[CatholicEdHead]

36. Yes this is malpractice

treat the patient, but keep your personal beliefs out of this.

[LostinVA]

28. This is not a first amendment issue

THis is a medical privacy issue, and -- according to my mom the nurse who asked the doctor -- several other legal and ethical charges. THis only isn't done, in most places, it's not allowed to be done.

And -- for the other lesbian posters =- I go to a gay-friendly GYN. Many areas have referral services for doctors, real estate agents, etc. For my primary care, I just called around, told them I was gay, and asked if there was a female doctor on staff who wouldn't be offended by it. There was.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

31. free speech does not apply in a professional setting that involves privacy

my therapist cannot write a book about me with my name and details and then say "oooo...free speech"

[DBoon]

39. In their minds....

I'm sure this woman believes "freedom of religion" gives her an absolute right to evangelize anyone anywhere anytime.

If she can't apply her offensive hard sell, then I'm sure she believes her religious liberty is being choked off.

[xchrom]

23. i would SO sue these creeps.

come after me in a doctors office -- back up, baby -- we got a war on.

[Thtwudbeme]

26. This post belongs in GD--it's not even remotely funny

I had NO idea crap like this happened--it burns me up.

[LostinVA]

30. I've known several lesbians treated badly by doctors

Preached to, refused care, propositioned (threesome with the wife). Many lesbians don't feel comfortable going to a GYN because of this. I suggest calling every female GYN in the book, tell them your gay, and ask if that's a problem. Because, your sexual orientation CAN be VERY important to your health, because of hormones, cancer, etc.

[realisticphish]

32. the lounge doesn't have to be funny

:shrug:

Check the annual flame wars for confirmation :)

[Thtwudbeme]

33. No, but there are posters that do not read the lounge

posts---they come here only to read about social and political issues.

I would consider this a serious social issue.

[realisticphish]

34. yes indeed

but we certainly have a right to discuss serious things here, don't we?

[Thtwudbeme]

38. Good God

Sure dude. Talk about whatever you want to in the Lounge. What in the hell did I write that made you want to argue with me? That I thought this was a serious societal problem?

Whatever.....

[khashka]

37. That sucks

Luckily my doc and her PA are totally pro-gay. The awkward thang is they keep trying to set me up with another guy. He's cute in a menacing way - but what do I say? "Our doctor told me to ask you out on a date"? Somehow that doesn't seem like a good line..

Khash.

[NMMNG]

40. GRRRRR!

And then they wonder why so many lesbians are reluctant to seek health care! :eyes: Stupid sanctimonius witch proselytising on the job. I'm glad she no longer works at the office, though I hope that means more than she was simply transferred to another office within the same practice.

[I Have A Dream]

42. This is just beyond the pale. Un-freaking-believable! n/t