A Catholic hospital that blocked a trans man’s access to a hysterectomy, asserting its right to religious freedom, denied any wrongdoing in court papers filed last week.
Jionni Conforti suffers from gender dysphoria. In 2015, he tried to schedule a hysterectomy at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, N.J., operated by St. Joseph’s Healthcare System.
A hospital staffer initially told Conforti the hysterectomy could be scheduled. However, Conforti subsequently was informed by the hospital’s director of mission services, the Rev. Martin D. Rooney, that the surgery couldn’t be scheduled, according to court papers.
In January, Conforti filed suit against St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Health Care System and Rooney. Conforti claims he was illegally discriminated against due to his trans status.
The suit, which is pending in federal court in Newark, seeks an unspecified amount in damages. A jury trial has been requested.
In a Feb. 10 filing, defense attorneys said the hospital acted lawfully when blocking Conforti’s access to a hysterectomy. As a Catholic institution, the hospital can’t be forced to assist in medical procedures that are contrary to its mission, according to the filing.
The hospital was adhering to guidelines set forth by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops when blocking the procedure. Assisting with a hysterectomy to further someone’s gender transition would violate the guidelines, according to the filing.
Attorneys note in the filing that state and federal laws protect religious institutions that don’t wish to participate in abortions or sterilization procedures, such as a hysterectomy.
“[Forcing] St. Joseph’s to perform, and Fr. Rooney to approve, a sterilization in furtherance of gender transition would be contrary to their [religious beliefs] and would violate their free exercise of religion under the United States and New Jersey constitutions,” the filing states.
Additionally, the trans protections possibly embodied in the federal Affordable Care Act have been placed on hold by a Texas judge, the attorneys noted.
Moreover, Conforti failed to act proactively to mitigate his damages and otherwise avoid harm, according to the filing.
“All actions taken by defendants with respect to [Conforti] were for legitimate, bonafide, non-discriminatory reasons,” the attorneys wrote.
They asked U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to dismiss Conforti’s suit.
Neither side had a comment for this story.
“The filing speaks for itself,” said Tom Casey, a spokesperson for St. Joseph’s Healthcare System.