Catholic Nuns Sue New York Over LGBTQ+ Care Mandates
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have filed a federal lawsuit against New York State, challenging regulations that require long-term care facilities to respect residents' chosen pronouns and bathroom preferences based on gender identity. The sisters operate Rosary Hill Home, a nursing facility in New York providing free palliative care to impoverished cancer patients. The legal action follows letters from the state Health Department citing violations of a 2023 bill of rights for LGBT seniors signed by Governor Kathy Hochul. Regulators asserted that failing to use preferred pronouns or restricting restroom access by gender identity is illegal and mandated staff undergo cultural competency training. The plaintiffs argue these requirements infringe upon their religious freedoms, prohibiting them from assigning rooms and segregating restrooms by biological sex. While expressing compassion for individuals struggling with gender identity, the order contends the state forces staff to use preferred pronouns even when patients are absent and allows cross-dressing, conflicting with their Catholic mission. This case highlights ongoing tensions between religious institutions and state mandates regarding LGBTQ+ rights in healthcare settings.
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Catholic Nuns Sue New York Over LGBTQ+ Care Mandates
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have filed a federal lawsuit against New York State, challenging regulations that require long-term care facilities to respect residents' chosen pronouns and bathroom preferences based on gender identity. The sisters operate Rosary Hill Home, a nursing facility in New York providing free palliative care to impoverished cancer patients. The legal action follows letters from the state Health Department citing violations of a 2023 bill of rights for LGBT seniors signed by Governor Kathy Hochul. Regulators asserted that failing to use preferred pronouns or restricting restroom access by gender identity is illegal and mandated staff undergo cultural competency training. The plaintiffs argue these requirements infringe upon their religious freedoms, prohibiting them from assigning rooms and segregating restrooms by biological sex. While expressing compassion for individuals struggling with gender identity, the order contends the state forces staff to use preferred pronouns even when patients are absent and allows cross-dressing, conflicting with their Catholic mission. This case highlights ongoing tensions between religious institutions and state mandates regarding LGBTQ+ rights in healthcare settings.
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