Last September lesbian couple Krista and Jami Contreras were recommended to Dr. Vesna Roi at Eastlake Pediatrics in Roseville [Michigan].by their midwife.
The Contrerasas were told to make an appointment with Roi once their baby (Bay) arrived which they did. When the day came for the appointment Dr. Roi was nowhere in sight and they were greeted by another Doctor:
“The first thing Dr. Karam said was ‘I’ll be your doctor, I’ll be seeing you today because Dr. Roi decided this morning that she prayed on it and she won’t be able to care for Bay,” Jami said.
Dr. Karam told us she didn’t even come to the office that morning because she didn’t want to see us.
The new mothers were shocked, hurt and angry. “It was embarrassing, it was humiliating and here we are, new parents trying to protect her,” Jami said. “And we know this happens in the world and we’re completely prepared for this to happen other places. But not at our six-day-old’s wellness appointment.”
Four months later, after word of the rejection spread online, the couple received a letter from Dr. Roi. She apologized for not meeting them in person that day, but didn’t apologize for not treating their child, writing, “I felt that I would not be able to develop the personal patient-doctor relationships that I normally do with my patients.”
Michigan has no laws protecting LGBT individuals from discrimination.
You know, it’s bad when Christian bakery owners won’t make a cake for a gay wedding, but exactly how fucked up is it when a “Christian” doctor refuses care for an innocent baby because its the child of a same-sex couple.
What Hypo-critic Oath did Dr. Roi take? “Do no harm… unless a baby has lesbian parents, then I can refuse it and it’ll just have to fend for itself.”
#ShameOnYou
Note that Dr. Roi is a DO, not an MD. DIfferent training and licensing standards. But, regardless, this is unconscionable. And we have not seen documentation as to whether it was her alleged “Christian” beliefs or the beliefs of some other religion (??Islam??), so we should not jump to conclusions, but refusal to care fore aninfant has got to be a sin in whatever religion she practices.
Parenting is certainly something I thought would never happen for me, but at the age of 23 I met the “man of my dreams”. We was just coming out of a 10 year marriage and had 2 young children. Ffast forward 20 years later and now 4 grandkids, we’ve experienced many situations like this. Schools not wanting our kids there because of of family, the two of us not being allowed to be part of the PTA because of our family, but most shockingly, the church that we attended began to ostracize our children due to our family. I could honestly care less what people say or do to me, but once my kids are picked in or alienated because of problems ADULTS have with what goes on behind the closed doors of the bedroom in my home, now that fucks with me. Our children are innocent human beings and thrive on love, understanding, dedication and comitmant. Although our two, now adult, children were raised in a home with two (2) dads, they got everythiney wanted and most importantly everything they needed! My husband, of 20 years, and I have two heterosexual children with kids of their own. The fact of the home being two men or two women, should matter not as long as that child is allowed to thrive and grow into the human they are designed to be.