Janice Langbehn Fights for Hospital Visitation Rights.

Back in February, 2008, I did two posts concerning the outrageous and horrible treatment of the late Lisa Pond and her partner, Janice Langbehn, by Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospitals Ryder Trauma Center. The second of those posts is here and it describes the fact that Janice contacted me directly and confirmed that (1) she and Lisa DID have proper legal medical powers of attorney, etc., and (2) that the hospital nonetheless still refused Janice access and treated her and Lisa in a shockingly reprehensible manner.

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Even in conservative Hampton Roads, Virginia, other than perhaps the Catholic hospitals - which I recommend my LGBT clients avoid - I am unaware of any hospitals that would so flagrantly ignore proper medical powers of attorney. This kind of mistreatment is but one of the many inequalities visited on LGBT citizens because we are not permitted legal marriages recognized in all states - all because some insist on injecting their religious beliefs into the civil laws. Fortunately, Janice is maintaining the fight to correct this travesty as reported by the Miami Herald. Here are some highlights:

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As her partner of 17 years slipped into a coma, Janice Langbehn pleaded with doctors and anyone who would listen to let her into the woman's hospital room. Eight anguishing hours passed before Langbehn, a Lacey, Wash., social worker would be allowed in to the Jackson Memorial's Ryder Trauma Center hospital quarters. By then it was just enough time to say her final farewell while standing next to a priest performing the last rites on 39-year-old Lisa Marie Pond.

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Staff at Jackson advised Langbehn that she could not see Pond earlier because the hospital's visitation policy in cases of emergency was limited to immediate family and spouses -- not partners.

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Langbehn turned to the courts for help. In June, she filed suit against the hospital, claiming negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. On Friday, Langbehn's attorneys were back in Miami federal court to keep the case from being dismissed.

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Langbehn's supporters are livid. ''We are here to ensure that families get the respect they deserve at Jackson Memorial Hospital and to prevent Janice's tragedy from happening to anyone else,'' said Beth Littrell, an attorney for Lambda Legal, a national group that fights for the civil rights of gays. ``This family deserves to have it's day in court.''

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Though Langbehn had documents declaring her Lisa's legal guardian and giving her the medical ''power of attorney,'' JMH officials refused to recognize her or the kids as family. . . . Gay-rights activists have long contended that same-sex couples should share the same rights afforded to straight couples.

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I continue to be disgusted by the manner in which self-righteous, self-satisfied evangelical "Christians" and their religious extremist allies - and yes, I do mean the Mormons and the Vatican - interject their religious views into the civil laws. The passage of Florida's recent "Marriage Amendment" in November, 2004, is a case in point. But for their efforts, situations like this one involving Lisa Pond and Janice Langbehn would not occur.