CA court ruling: Doctors must inseminate lesbian couples

The doctors were even willing to instruct the couple how to "self-inseminate" after fertility drug treatment, but that was not enough:

California's high court on Monday barred doctors from withholding medical care to gays and lesbians based on religious beliefs, ruling that state law prohibiting sexual orientation discrimination extends to the medical profession.

Justice Joyce Kennard wrote in the unanimous ruling that two Christian fertility doctors who refused to artificially inseminate a lesbian have neither a free speech right nor a religious exemption from the state's law, which "imposes on business establishments certain anti-discrimination obligations."

In the lawsuit that led to the ruling, Guadalupe Benitez, 36, of Oceanside said that the doctors treated her with fertility drugs and instructed her how to inseminate herself at home but told her their beliefs prevented them from assisting her further.

The case drew the attention of religious organizations, medical groups and gay civil rights organizations.

The American Civil Rights Union supported the Christian doctors, siding with the Islamic Medical Association of North America, the Christian Medical & Dental Associations and anti-abortion groups.

The California Medical Association reversed its early support of the Christian doctors after receiving a barrage of criticism from the gay rights community, joining health care provider Kaiser Foundation Health Plan to oppose the Christian doctors. (AP)

It saddens me to see that these Christian doctors did not receive at least equal support from the Christian community, although obviously I am not trying to assign blame in this matter because I only heard of it myself after the decision was handed down, and this apparently has been in litigation for some time. It's hard to be an ethical doctor these days.

And I wonder how homosexual men could be discriminated against in this instance ...? Do I want to?

update: CNA picks up on the story here.

Ph/t: AmP reader "J."