The California Supreme Court ruled on Monday that a doctor cannot refuse to see a lesbian patient, even if it violates his or her religious beliefs. A doctor in California refused to artificially inseminate a patient back in 2001 because she is a lesbian. The doctor said that because of her personal religious beliefs about gay people, she would not inseminate a lesbian patient who was receiving treatment at her clinic. The patient filed a discrimination case. The court ruled that California's law that protects gays and lesbians from discrimination extends to the medical profession.
Lupita Benitez, the lesbian who filed the lawsuit said to the Los Angeles Times, "This isn't just a win for me personally and for other lesbian women. It's a win for everyone because everyone could be the next target if doctors choose their patients based on religious views about other groups of people." The ruling only applies to California.
Learn More:
- Legal Implications of Donor Insemination
- Finding a lesbian-friendly Fertility Center or Sperm Bank
- Pros and Cons of Artificial Insemination
© Photo by Bianca de Blok
They did it! Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi wed over the weekend in a ceremony officiated by self-help guru Dr. Wayne Dyer. Only 19 guests attended the wedding. "What can I say? I'm the luckiest girl in the world," Ellen DeGeneres said to People magazine. What do you have to say to Ellen and Portia? Comment below.