Supreme Court Denies Catholic Hospital Appeal Over Transgender Patient

WASHINGTON D.C — (11-13-21) — Last Monday the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal by a Catholic hospital in California to avoid a lawsuit over its refusal to let a transgender patient use its facilities to perform a hysterectomy, a procedure that is part of gender transition from female to male.

SCOTUS turned away an appeal by Mercy San Juan Medical Center, a Sacramento-area hospital owned by Dignity Health. By doing so the Supreme Court let stand a lower court’s ruling that revived Evan Minton’s lawsuit against the Mercy San Juan Medical Center accusing it of intentionally discriminating against him in violation of California law simply because he is transgender.

In the California case, a spokesperson for Mercy San Juan Medical Center told JRL CHARTS last Tuesday, “It does not discriminate against transgender patients but, does not allow its facilities to be used for certain procedures that include abortion, sterilization and euthanasia, which it contends are contrary to Catholic doctrine.” Yes, I know.. what a weak response!

Background – Minton vs Mercy San Juan Medical Center:

Back in 2016 Mercy San Juan Medical Center initially scheduled Evan Minton’s hysterectomy – surgical removal of the uterus. But then canceled it after learning the reason Minton wanted the procedure, according to the lawsuit.

The hospital let Minton’s physician perform the procedure at a different facility in its system a few days later.

Minton sued in state court, accusing the hospital of violating a California civil rights law that prohibits discrimination by business establishments, including hospitals, based on religion, race, sexual orientation or gender identity.

After a trial judge ruled against Evan Minton, a California appeals court in 2019 reversed the lower court’s ruling, rejecting Mercy San Juan Medical Center’s argument that forcing it to perform procedures contrary to its religious beliefs would violate its right under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment to the free exercise of religion.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

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