Catholic Nuns Sue New York Over LGBT Policies at Cancer Care Home

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The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, who operate a 42-bed nursing facility in New York that provides free palliative care to poor people with cancer, have sued the state in federal court over new regulations that require long-term care facilities to defer to residents' choices of pronouns and bathrooms under a 'bill of rights' for LGBT seniors. The sisters argue these policies violate their religious beliefs as Catholic nuns.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tension between anti-discrimination policies aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ rights and the religious freedom claims of faith-based organizations. It raises questions about how to balance these competing interests, especially in sensitive healthcare settings.

The details

The state Health Department has sent the sisters letters explaining that 'willfully and repeatedly failing to use a resident's preferred name or pronouns' is illegal, as is 'prohibiting a resident from using a restroom available to other persons of the same gender identity.' The letters also say staff must undergo mandatory 'cultural competency training that focuses on residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.' The sisters argue these policies force them to violate their religious beliefs as Catholic nuns.

• The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne filed the federal lawsuit this week.
• New York's 'bill of rights' for LGBT seniors was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2023.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The federal court will now consider the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne's lawsuit challenging New York's regulations on LGBT policies in long-term care facilities.