Home / Health / Trans Woman's Surgery Recording Exposes Hospital's Gender Bias
Trans Woman's Surgery Recording Exposes Hospital's Gender Bias
1 Dec
Summary
- Patient recorded surgery, uncovering staff discussion about her gender identity.
- Hospital staff allegedly changed patient's records to 'male' while unconscious.
- Patient claims she was misgendered and faced discrimination at the hospital.
Jennifer Capasso, a transgender woman battling metastatic rectal cancer, secretly recorded her surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The audio revealed hospital staff discussing her transgender identity and suggesting her medical records be updated to 'male.' Following the surgery, Ms. Capasso found her records indeed marked as 'male,' leading to misgendering by some staff, which she describes as discriminatory.
Ms. Capasso alleges this change in her records, made while she was unconscious, exacerbated her anxiety during cancer treatment. She recounts previous instances of alleged misgendering by hospital staff. Her lawsuit accuses the hospital of discrimination, a claim Memorial Sloan Kettering denies, stating its records accurately reflect her sex assigned at birth and are necessary for care.
Although the hospital claims the recording invades staff privacy and is largely inaudible, Ms. Capasso believes her fight is crucial for other transgender patients. The hospital has since updated its electronic medical record system, and her records now reflect 'female.' Despite ongoing cancer treatment, Ms. Capasso is pursuing legal action to address the alleged mistreatment.
