dunmurderin (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
dunmurderin) wrote2010-08-04 06:08 am
dunmurderin) wrote2010-08-04 06:08 am
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Central Indiana hospital denies care to a transgendered woman
Two weeks ago, Erin Vaught went to Ball Memorial hospital in Muncie, Indiana because she was coughing up blood. Mrs. Vaught a transexual transitioning from male to female. She was accompanied to the hospital by her wife and son and was treated with disrespect and discrimination upon entering the hospital. Some 'highlights' and more information below the cut:
* Vaught showed hospital workers her identification which identified her as female. The workers entered her into the system as male and denied changing the entry when they were called on it.
* Hospital workers and nurses referred to Vaught as 'it,' 'he-she,' 'she-he' and a 'transvestite' in addition to giggling and snickering about Vaught's transgendered status. This was done in front of Vaught and her family.
* Vaught waited for two hours before she was seen by a doctor -- who then told Vaught that she (the doctor) couldn't treat Vaught's 'condition'. Vaught pointed out that her condition was that she was coughing up blood and that she wanted to know why this was happening. The doctor then explained that the 'condition' she meant was her transgender status. Vaught was told that she couldn't recieve treatment until she came back with test orders from her doctor in Indianapolis. (Presumably, this is the doctor helping Vaught transition.)
* Vaught left the hospital without being treated. Repeat: a woman who was coughing up blood left a hospital without being treated because apparently the contents of your pants is extremely important when it comes to figuring out why you're coughing up blood!.
And something that hasn't shown up in any articles I've read (so far):
* Ball Memorial Hospital is the only hospital in Muncie. If you can't go to BMH, you're going to have to drive at least a half hour to Anderson or New Castle or an hour down to Indianapolis (which presumes you have a car or know someone with a car). Yes, there are private physicians and Urgent Cares in town but if I start coughing up blood, I'm going to a hospital.
Some good news:
* Ball Memorial has launched an investigation of the incident and will be issuing a statement about the incident on their Facebook page today. According to Vaught, who posted about the statement (under the name Erin Equality V) here . She says that she recieved a copy of the statement and that while : I will not disclose what it says, [...] it is good. Please read when posted on Wednesday :)
As of now, no post has been made that I can see -- but that's probably got more to do with the fact that it's 7am here than anything else. While this looks to be being resolved, please boost the signal.
Sources: -- Be warned, potential fail in any comments of these articles.
Transgender woman claims she was mistreated by BMH Staff -- from the Muncie Star, the local paper.
Transgendered Woman Refused Treatment, Called 'It' by Hospital Staff from Queersighted.com. Includes videos from Indianapolis's Fox 59.
Central Indiana’s Ball Memorial Hospital Denies Care to Transgender Woman from Shewired.com.
Transgender woman says she was ridiculed. from the South Bend Tribune. Be warned of fail in the comments, including one idiot who thinks the article is unfair because they don't say why Vaught (who they call 'he') was coughing up blood -- that's because they NEVER TREATED HER YOU MORON!
Ball Memorial's Response to the issue. As pointed out by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
newsy891, this is likely a CYA statement that BMH will fall back on in court.
Good News: The protest for Saturday has been called off in light of the fact that Ball Memorial Hospital is taking steps to correct the problem. Specifically:
Ball Memorial Hospital (BMH) is engaging with Indiana Equality & Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance to assist with review of BMH care policies, employee benefits, and diversity training. BMH is collaborating with both groups to develop a curriculum for employee LGBT awareness training to improve sexual orientation and gender identity awareness in BMH anti-discrimination training. This will include sensitivity to the sometimes special health care needs of people who are transgender. [Links added by me]
You can read more of Clarian Health's statement about the incident here: BMH Responds To Transgender Conversation
* Vaught showed hospital workers her identification which identified her as female. The workers entered her into the system as male and denied changing the entry when they were called on it.
* Hospital workers and nurses referred to Vaught as 'it,' 'he-she,' 'she-he' and a 'transvestite' in addition to giggling and snickering about Vaught's transgendered status. This was done in front of Vaught and her family.
* Vaught waited for two hours before she was seen by a doctor -- who then told Vaught that she (the doctor) couldn't treat Vaught's 'condition'. Vaught pointed out that her condition was that she was coughing up blood and that she wanted to know why this was happening. The doctor then explained that the 'condition' she meant was her transgender status. Vaught was told that she couldn't recieve treatment until she came back with test orders from her doctor in Indianapolis. (Presumably, this is the doctor helping Vaught transition.)
* Vaught left the hospital without being treated. Repeat: a woman who was coughing up blood left a hospital without being treated because apparently the contents of your pants is extremely important when it comes to figuring out why you're coughing up blood!.
And something that hasn't shown up in any articles I've read (so far):
* Ball Memorial Hospital is the only hospital in Muncie. If you can't go to BMH, you're going to have to drive at least a half hour to Anderson or New Castle or an hour down to Indianapolis (which presumes you have a car or know someone with a car). Yes, there are private physicians and Urgent Cares in town but if I start coughing up blood, I'm going to a hospital.
Some good news:
* Ball Memorial has launched an investigation of the incident and will be issuing a statement about the incident on their Facebook page today. According to Vaught, who posted about the statement (under the name Erin Equality V) here . She says that she recieved a copy of the statement and that while : I will not disclose what it says, [...] it is good. Please read when posted on Wednesday :)
As of now, no post has been made that I can see -- but that's probably got more to do with the fact that it's 7am here than anything else. While this looks to be being resolved, please boost the signal.
Sources: -- Be warned, potential fail in any comments of these articles.
Transgender woman claims she was mistreated by BMH Staff -- from the Muncie Star, the local paper.
Transgendered Woman Refused Treatment, Called 'It' by Hospital Staff from Queersighted.com. Includes videos from Indianapolis's Fox 59.
Central Indiana’s Ball Memorial Hospital Denies Care to Transgender Woman from Shewired.com.
Transgender woman says she was ridiculed. from the South Bend Tribune. Be warned of fail in the comments, including one idiot who thinks the article is unfair because they don't say why Vaught (who they call 'he') was coughing up blood -- that's because they NEVER TREATED HER YOU MORON!
Ball Memorial's Response to the issue. As pointed out by
newsy891, this is likely a CYA statement that BMH will fall back on in court.Good News: The protest for Saturday has been called off in light of the fact that Ball Memorial Hospital is taking steps to correct the problem. Specifically:
Ball Memorial Hospital (BMH) is engaging with Indiana Equality & Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance to assist with review of BMH care policies, employee benefits, and diversity training. BMH is collaborating with both groups to develop a curriculum for employee LGBT awareness training to improve sexual orientation and gender identity awareness in BMH anti-discrimination training. This will include sensitivity to the sometimes special health care needs of people who are transgender. [Links added by me]
You can read more of Clarian Health's statement about the incident here: BMH Responds To Transgender Conversation