Gay Couples Law Blog: Florida Decision on Gay Hospital Visitation Rights Affects Straight Couples Too

Posted by Erica Mauter

October 22, 2009

[T]he United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida dismissed a lawsuit brought by a woman who wasn’t allowed to visit her dying same sex partner in a hospital. The woman had all the proper documents, but the hospital still denied visitation, saying that “[Miami] is in a anti-gay city in anti-gay state.”

…

[T]he decision reminds gay couples everywhere that not even the best legal preparation can reliably defeat an institution determined to discriminate against them. This woman followed all the typical advice about bringing documents with her to ensure that her rights are recognized–it still didn’t work.

It scares the crap out of me that something like this could still happen. Which is no excuse to not go ahead and get this stuff legally squared away (as is even possible), but still.