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Gay doctor flees Louisiana due to anti-LGBTQ+ laws: ‘I don’t have a choice’ (www.thepinknews.com)

submitted 1 year ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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A gay doctor who is one of Louisiana’s only specialist paediatric cardiologists has left the state after the introduction of a Don’t Say Gay copycat bill and a ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth.

Jake Kleinmahon, who was one of just three doctors specialising in heart transplants for children in Louisiana, chose to leave the state with his family, as they no longer felt safe.

Kleinmahon met and fell in love with his husband Tom in New Orleans, and the couple expected remain in Louisiana, even after retirement. However, he told CNN that the state’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation made him and his family feel unwelcome and that he ultimately “didn’t have a choice”.

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[-] Weirdfish@lemmy.world 189 points 1 year ago

Was born premature, and required open heart surgery when I was only a few days old.

When I was around 17 I had the chance to visit the hospital and tour the children's ICU I had been in. A children's ICU is not the happiest place in the world, and there were strange looks from both staff and parents as we walked around, feeling very awkward.

Then a short man with a thick accent burst through the door and hugged me. Turned out, the doctor who had performed my surgery was there and insisted on showing me around personally.

He walked me over to a woman who was about the saddest person I have ever seen, sitting next to an incubator. "This is what your son will look like in 18 years" he told her.

They took my picture, and hung it on the board for the kids who had "graduated", and I have to believe it was the first time in a long time that room had joy and happiness in it.

If someone had told me that that doctor wasn't welcome because he had a husband I think I would have wanted to become violent.

This law means that those families now have 1/3 fewer people to give a chance for thier kids, and the odds for me hadn't been that great to begin with.

[-] ArachnidMania@lemm.ee 17 points 1 year ago

What was the woman’s response to that comment from the doctor? Because that is a one impactful statement! How did it feel to basically be a example for hope to that woman that day?

[-] Weirdfish@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

She didn't say anything really, just smiled and thanked the doctor.

While I was too young to fully understand it at the time, it still had a big impact on me, and looking back on it now I tear up a bit.

That day is the reason, years later when joining the military, I took an MOS fixing medical equipment. I'm no health care worker, but I'm damned good w tech, and fixing the machines that help fix people always meant a lot to me.

I don't know what happened with either her or her child, but I suspect the doctor knew because he said it with such confidence, I doubt he would have given her false hope.

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[-] Jeredin@lemm.ee 136 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

So long as the majority left behind in the state are GOP voters, they couldn't care less about how many people get harmed or die from their policies ...

E: spelling

[-] WorldWideLem@lemmy.world 67 points 1 year ago

Part of what makes religion so useful, to suffer becomes virtuous.

[-] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 52 points 1 year ago

Then I hope they choke on all their virtue.

[-] downpunxx@kbin.social 26 points 1 year ago

I wish them nothing but unyielding neverending virtue

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[-] Acronymesis@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago

Personally, I think this is all part of the plan. Chase the lefties out of their states so that they can solidify their majority, keeping themselves in power.

Do this with enough states, and they can kick off a constitutional convention.

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[-] Pratai@lemmy.ca 17 points 1 year ago

Couldn’t…. Care less.

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[-] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 101 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

TL;DR: a gay pediatric cardiologist (one of only 3 pediatric cardiologists in the state) moved away because Louisiana politicians are predominantly backwards, regressive, homophobic shitstains. Other things too, but those are the characteristics relevant to the article.

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[-] regalia@literature.cafe 86 points 1 year ago

When it's deemed illegal for you to exist, I don't think that's a political viewpoint anymore.

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[-] Potato_in_my_anus@lemmy.ml 81 points 1 year ago

There's no need of doctors in the red states, they can just pray the pain away. If they die, well that's God will.

[-] tmsbrdrs2@lemmy.world 40 points 1 year ago

It's quite unfortunate for those too poor to move or who otherwise have no choice.

[-] CafecitoHippo@lemm.ee 30 points 1 year ago

But at this point, what kind of care are they actually going to get if they're too poor to move. They're fucked either way because God forbid we help people in need.

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[-] Uranium3006@kbin.social 66 points 1 year ago

he is an internally displaced refugee. that's what it's come to now with all this. we need to liberate nazi-occupied states

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[-] AeonFelis@lemmy.world 57 points 1 year ago

Even if some children in Louisiana won't be able to get heart transplants, it's okay because these children were already born.

[-] Vaggumon@lemm.ee 47 points 1 year ago

Good for him. Wish him and his all the best in their new home.

[-] agedbeef@lemmy.world 39 points 1 year ago

That fucking sucks he has to run away but also damn if he isn’t probably the hottest doctor in Louisiana…. Well not anymore

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[-] Pratai@lemmy.ca 36 points 1 year ago

In a perfect world, there would be no reason for this to happen, but in a less perfect would- ALL LGBTQ+ people would leave all the red state dictatorships they currently live in- and go to where they’re welcomed with open arms.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 60 points 1 year ago

In a perfect world, there would be no red states.

[-] Vuraniute@thelemmy.club 39 points 1 year ago

In a perfect world, there would be more than two parties.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

That's not necessarily a solution. Look at the UK- three major parties, but being run by the right-wing Tories. Or Israel, with a bunch of parties and it's a mess.

I'm not happy with either party in the U.S., but it could actually be worse, not better, because often it either splits the vote or requires building coalitions with extremists.

[-] Arsenal4ever@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

Canada has many parties but is about to become a right-wing nightmare.

This isn't a party problem, it is a comms problem. The right feels like it must stop progress for human rights in any way possible. Lying, cheating, whatever. And in many places, the right is funded by rich people who want less taxes and regulations.

In Canada, it is tar sands oil. Since tax cuts and let's screw up the planet are not popular, you need a wedge issue. Here's Trump marveling at how a wedge issue is spread:

"It's amazing how strongly people feel about that. You see, I'm talking about cutting taxes, people go like that," Donald Trump said while making a muted applause gesture. "I talk about transgender, everyone goes crazy. Who would have thought? Five years ago, you didn't know what the hell it was."

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[-] ColdWater@lemmy.ca 31 points 1 year ago

I hope the best for him and his family

[-] kool_newt@lemm.ee 29 points 1 year ago

The lawmakers don't care, they can go where they need for care. But many non R voters will leave cementing R control of the state for years to come -- it's a genius plan really.

[-] GiddyGap@lemm.ee 35 points 1 year ago

It is a major part of the GOP strategy.

Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri has openly acknowledged that the GOP strategy is to make it so miserable for Democrats in red and purple states that they will move to blue states. That would, in turn, cement Republican power in the White House, Senate and thereby the Supreme Court.

[-] PrincessLeiasCat@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 year ago

Well that’s fucking horrifying & anti-democratic.

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[-] some_guy 25 points 1 year ago

I usually say they deserve the repercussions of their terrible values. When it affects innocent kids, it makes me sad.

[-] geosoco@kbin.social 23 points 1 year ago

Sadly, it is very often the people at the bottom who deal with shit-stain policies like this.

this and policies like anti-abortion policies rarely affect rich or middle-class people, who have money.

[-] some_guy 12 points 1 year ago

Why would you have that rapist's baby if you can afford to travel to another state, stay in a hotel, and pay for the procedure, without having to give up that nice vacation you've got planned, cover the costs of your children's private school, and trade up your car at the end of the lease next month?

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[-] sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 year ago

The article doesn't do a good job explaining the "Don't Say Gay" bill. The bill prohibits teachers from teaching about sexual orientation before 4th grade.

Here is an article about that:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/florida-don-t-say-gay-bill-desantis-1.6400087

[-] archiotterpup@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

Close, it's you can't even say gay people or kids exist

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this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023

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