Lesbian Mothers Humiliated After Michigan Doctor Refuses To See Newborn Baby
DETROIT (CBS SF) -- A Detroit-area same-sex couple is raising awareness about discrimination against LGBT parents after a pediatrician refused to treat their newborn baby last October.
Jami and Krista Contreras brought their 6-day-old baby to the doctor they had picked out months earlier. But after waiting in the exam room for their baby's first check-up, another pediatrician delivered the news that they're chosen doctor had a change of heart. After "much prayer," she decided she couldn't treat their baby because they are lesbians.
Now after months of keeping the incident quiet, they are opening up about their experience.
"We want people to know that this is happening to families. This is really happening," 30-year-old Jami Contreras told the Detroit Free Press. "It was embarrassing. It was humiliating … It's just wrong."
The doctor has since written the couple a letter of apology following their initial prenatal meeting saying she didn't believe she could develop a personal patient doctor relationship with them, which is completely legal.
Under current Michigan law, a doctor has a right to deny medical treatment on the basis of sexual orientation.
Last month, the Human Rights Campaign published a state equality index based off legislation affecting the LGBT community. California was listed as having some of the most robust LGBT non-discrimination laws and policies guaranteeing access to health care. Meanwhile Michigan was categorized as having "bad laws" and religious based discrimination that undermines LGBT equality.