|
A lesbian couple in Nevada is considering what action to take after Spring Valley Hospital refused to recognize their legal relationship. Details follow.
After checking into Spring Valley for complications related to her pregnancy, Brittney Leon, 26, was told her domestic partner Ann Simonelli could not make any medical decisions on her behalf, despite the pair's legal rights.
With Brittney in poor condition, Ann asked to go home and return with the domestic partnership paperwork. But the hospital refused to accept the domestic partnership and instead demanded they obtain power of attorney before recognizing their relationship, a legal recourse Brittney's waning health prohibited. The hospital's discrimination added to the extreme stress facing the couple, who ended up losing their baby.
"I am usually a big fighter. But I was so emotionally upset. It was a very bad day for us," said Ann. "We went there thinking we had the state's backing, and then we were told we were wrong. It didn't matter that we were registered domestic partners. It should matter."
Lawyers have advised the couple that unfortunately there is little they can do other than filing a complaint with the Nevada Human Rights Commission.
So, why do we need full federal civil marriage rights again??
(Source and image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)
 |
Laws that gay people think will help them like the federal hate crimes law are gutted so it rarely can be used. Heterosexuals want the status quo of heterosexual supremacy to continue.