Ind. Hospital allegedly denies transwoman care
MUNCIE, Ind. -A transgender woman said she was ridiculed by hospital staff and eventually denied treatment when she went to a Muncie emergency room coughing up blood.
Vaught is a transsexual, someone who has transitioned or is transitioning from one gender to another, The Star Press reported Friday. In her case, it's from male to female.
Vaught said when she, her wife and son went to the ER on July 18, she was entered into the hospital computer system as male despite an ID that stated she was female.
"I pointed out that my ID says female," Vaught said. "There were two ladies there, and one of them snickered a little bit and covered her mouth. The other got a very annoyed look on her face."
When she went to the exa- room, 3he was met with stares and insults and was referred to as a "he-she," an "it," and a "transvestite."
Vaught said she was kept waiting for two hours without any treatment before a doctor saw her and said she couldn't treat her because of her transgender condition.
"I was confused," Vaught said. "I told them I didn't know my condition, that's why I was there. She said 'No, the transvestite thing.' She said I couldn't see a doctor until I came back with test orders from my doctor in Indy."
More @ http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-transgender-hospi,0,6019217.story (source)
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/indiana_hospital_says_no_transgender_patients_allowed
A google search indicates that coughing up blood is considered a medical emergency (all the sites I found indicate if you're coughing up blood you should go to the ER), which would make this illegal.
People are having a field day commenting on Ball Memorial's facebook page.
Vaught is a transsexual, someone who has transitioned or is transitioning from one gender to another, The Star Press reported Friday. In her case, it's from male to female.
Vaught said when she, her wife and son went to the ER on July 18, she was entered into the hospital computer system as male despite an ID that stated she was female.
"I pointed out that my ID says female," Vaught said. "There were two ladies there, and one of them snickered a little bit and covered her mouth. The other got a very annoyed look on her face."
When she went to the exa- room, 3he was met with stares and insults and was referred to as a "he-she," an "it," and a "transvestite."
Vaught said she was kept waiting for two hours without any treatment before a doctor saw her and said she couldn't treat her because of her transgender condition.
"I was confused," Vaught said. "I told them I didn't know my condition, that's why I was there. She said 'No, the transvestite thing.' She said I couldn't see a doctor until I came back with test orders from my doctor in Indy."
More @ http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-in-transgender-hospi,0,6019217.story (source)
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/indiana_hospital_says_no_transgender_patients_allowed
A google search indicates that coughing up blood is considered a medical emergency (all the sites I found indicate if you're coughing up blood you should go to the ER), which would make this illegal.
People are having a field day commenting on Ball Memorial's facebook page.