Doctor Refuses To Treat Same-Sex Couple’s Baby (VIDEO)

(Image from Detroit Free Press)
(Image from Detroit Free Press)

Yes, you read that right. A doctor LEGALLY refused to treat a same-sex couple’s 6-day-old baby.

Married lesbian couple Krista and Jami Contreras got a big surprise when they took their baby for a routine checkup to Eastlake Pediatrics in Roseville, Michigan. While in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, the couple were greeted by another doctor to give them the bad news. After “much prayer,” their original chosen doctor decided that she couldn’t treat their baby because they are lesbians.

Doctor (if you can even truly call her that) Vesna Roi has been practicing pediatric medicine for 19 years. When asked to comment, she cited the federal HIPPA law, which requires medical providers to protect patient privacy. Roi did, however, send the couple a letter, which can be seen here. As you can see, the letter contains a half-assed apology.

In Michigan as well as many other states, refusing services to LGBT people is perfectly legal. Only 22 states have laws that prohibit doctors from discriminating against someone based on their sexual orientation. Michigan has an anti-discrimination law, but it doesn’t protect?LGBT individuals.

At first, the couple decided to keep quiet about the issue. As time went on, however, the pain lingered and they decided to go public with what happened to them. This type of blatant discrimination happens all of the time. With proposed “religious freedom” bills in the works in multiple states, the threat of discrimination grows higher and higher. What if a police officer refused to treat a gay kid who was bleeding badly from a car wreck? What if an ambulance worker wouldn’t let the gay kid on the ambulance for treatment? What if a doctor refused to perform surgery on the gay kid in the hospital? There are three chances right there where someone’s life could be put in danger – all because of “religious freedom” laws.

Yep. It happened. A baby was refused treatment because a doctor believes God told her not to do it.

What if Dr.?Roi needed to go to a doctor herself? What if Roi’s doctor was an atheist and refused to treat her? Is that perfectly legal also? I guarantee the “religious right” would cause an uproar over that situation!

I wonder if “doctor” Roi treats babies with single moms or divorced parents? I wonder if “doctor” Roi treats babies whose parents have tattoos, modern haircuts, or piercings? When you use the Bible as a form of discrimination, there is no stopping point. Millions of “sins” are in the Bible. The last time I checked, the Christian thought-process is that we all sin. Is Vesna Roi going to refuse treatment to all people?

That’s the problem when certain people can be legally discriminated against. The possibilities are endless. If “religious freedom” bills are passed, the situation gets a lot worse. More complications arise and more people have their lives put in unnecessary danger.

See this interview with the couple:




 
Caleb Woods is a Communications and English major. He is a reader, a writer, and an activist for LGBT rights, women’s rights, and the rights of the American people. He has lived in Alabama for his entire life and has experienced first-hand discrimination and bigotry. He hopes to change hearts and minds across the world so that people may show more compassion and empathy for their fellow man and woman. Click here if you'd like to donate money to Caleb's coffee fund.