Doctor Sued After Listing Homosexuality As A ‘Chronic Condition’
A doctor has been sued for listing homosexuality as a “chronic condition” in a man’s medical records. Matthew Moore, 46, had gone for a routine checkup with a new doctor when it happened.
Dr. Elaine Jones originally gave the diagnosis in April 2013 and had also listed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Vitamin B-12 deficiency. That was about where the list of conditions should have ended.
Could the diagnosis have been made as a slight to Moore’s sexuality, or was it simply a mistake that never went unchecked? Whichever it was, it is now listed on his medical records and patient plan, showing that the health network and his doctor allegedly never had any intention of removing it.
Gay Patient Sues Over Homosexuality Diagnosis http://t.co/5DtrX3mpcs #SahelNews
— Eng. Sahel Diab (@SahelHKJ) August 12, 2014
Los Angeles resident Matthew Moore explained why he had the doctor sued over the listing:
“My jaw was on the floor. At first, I kind of laughed, I thought, ‘Here’s another way that gay people are lessened and made to feel less-than,’ and then as I thought about it and as I dealt with it, it angered me.”
It is a well known fact that homosexuals and lesbians are discriminated against in popular culture. It’s a bandwagon concept that even the Westboro Baptist Church used to try defaming Robin Williams after his death, as previously reported by The Inquisitr. It happens all of the time, but that doesn’t make it right.
The doctor claims that the diagnosis was a common practice in the medical industry, allegedly stating it was still under debate whether homosexuality was a disease. Dr. Jones must not have been familiar with a change made in 1973, when the sexual preference was no longer referred to as a mental illness. In 1987, the sexual preference was removed as a medical condition entirely.
In 1953, homosexuality was listed as a personality disorder known as “sociopathic personality disturbance,” or Code 302.0, but it hasn’t been a “disease” since 20 years later. The alleged ignorance ended up getting Moore’s doctor sued.
Matthew Moore filed the lawsuit against Dr. Elaine Jones and the Torrance Health Association in July, and told the local news:
“I don’t want any gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual ever to hear from a doctor that their normal and healthy sexuality is anything other than that.”
Moore sent a complaint to the offending health network, which replied:
“We would like to unequivocally state that the Torrance Memorial Physician Network does not view homosexuality as a disease or a chronic condition, and we do not endorse or approve of the use of Code 302.0 as a diagnosis for homosexuality.”
They further stated that the condition was made through human error and has been fixed. To Moore’s shock, the issue persisted when he saw the diagnosis change from a “chronic condition” to an entry under “chronic problems.”
Matthew Moore is hoping to change the alleged discrimination which made him sue his doctor and health network. Homosexuality is not a disease, and the medical industry should know better.
[image via jacksongeneral]
