An intolerant physician writes to CEO Paul Levy regarding a BI-Deaconess event to support gay rights:
We are again disappointed and frankly disgusted to see the leader of the medical center endorsing an inherently unhealthy, risky lifestyle. We remind you that this is offensive to members of the BIDMC who hold to moral principles and traditional values. But more to the point for a healthcare institution, is the fact that homosexual behavior involves well recognized higher risks of STD’s, HIV and AIDS, anal cancer, hepatitis, parasitic intestinal infections, and psychiatric disorders. Life expectancy is significantly decreased as a result of HIV/AIDS, complications from the other health problems, and suicide. This alone should make it reprehensible to the medical community, regardless of your personal feelings for putting this on the politically correct list for “inclusion and respect.”
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{ 3 comments }
Why is he any more “intolerant” than all the physicians who publically oppose smoking, overeating, or other unhealthy behaviors?
I know plenty of promiscuous straight people who arguably have equally high-risk behaviours. I also have a friend who contracted aids from his girlfriend in college. While I am no advocate of promoting gay lifestyles, the arguments waged are narrow-minded at best, homophobic at worst.
Anon the first:
Well, he’s wrong, for one thing. Certain sexual behaviors, such as unprotected anal sex, put people in high-risk categories. Plenty of gay guys don’t have anal sex; plenty of straight folks do.
Monogamous lesbians are actually the lowest-risk category of most of the issues this physician mentions, but I doubt he’s differentiating.
Anon the second: If you can define “gay lifestyle”, I’d be very interested to hear it, although perhaps Dr. Kevin doesn’t want this discussion on his blog, as it does stray from the original issue.
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